Digital Quartzer
by TheStrangerThatCameFromNowhere
Summary: Hakuno Kishinami had made a wish. A wish to survive and live. The Moon Cell, in the process of deleting her, had ultimately chosen to grant her wish, as was her right as the victor of the Holy Grail War. Upon awakening, Hakuno finds herself in a peaceful world, and under the care of a kind man and his nephew. But trouble is brewing. And a new battle awaits on the horizon.
1. TIME01

**DISCLAIMER**: I do not own Overlord or Fate. Both belong to Murayama-sensei and Nasu-sensei respectively.

* * *

_Time is not constant._

_It is like a river, ebbing and flowing. Often, it splits into different streams._

_As time moves on, branches - alternate timelines - are created. Each becomes a world of its own._

_...but, often, river streams cross and merge with each other. And, in the end, rivers return to the ocean._

_And each ocean is connected._

_Just as worlds are connected to one another, all observed by the eyes of an almighty observer._

_A new river stream branches from the path._

_A new world is about to begin._

_And on the horizon, the moon looks down from up high..._

* * *

**DIGITAL QUARTZER**

* * *

_...huh? What is..._

Her mind was hazy. She could barely think properly. She felt so cold and heavy. She didn't know where she was.

Her eyes opened and closed slowly, body floating. Or was she sinking? She couldn't tell. It seemed as if she was in the ocean, or something along those lines. She could see the water's surface, shimmering in the light above her. Yet it was growing dimmer with each passing second.

_What was I doing..._

She pushed through the haze, attempting to find the answer. She sorted what little she knew as she did so.

Her name was Hakuno. She was a Master. She was in the Moon Cell. She had a Servant. But...what else was there?

She pushed further through the cloudy haze. Then she recalled where she was. She was within the Core of the Moon Cell. She had become the victor of the Moon Cell Holy Grail War and wanted to learn about herself. When she had delved into it and found her answers, the Moon Cell recognized her as an error that had to be removed.

_That's right. I'm...being deleted._

Somehow, the idea of being erased made her...what was the word? Irritated? Angry? Yes, angry. But the feeling was unusual. She had never experienced this sort of emotion before, nor why she was feeling it now.

She had the answers she needed. Answers she had given to Rin, or...was it Rani? She couldn't remember. The haze was becoming thick. No, it was not a haze. It was the Moon Cell, slowly erasing her. It would erase her ability to think, then move to her ability to see and hear. Then, she would be erased entirely. She resisted and continued to push.

Hakuno Kishinami, the girl that existed at this moment, was nothing more than an artificial intelligence. An AI based on the existence of a girl that was infected with a disease that would one day kill her after she no longer had memories to cling to. The real Hakuno Kishinami, soundly asleep in cryogenic hibernation, was alive. She had given that data to the person she trusted and protected. Surely, they would be able to save that person.

She was content with that, wasn't she? So, why was she angry?

_...ah. That's right. I..._

She was angry because of how unfair this all was. She had no memories or past. She was someone who had no rhyme or reason. No purpose to call her own. No reason to fight. What she did, she did to survive. It was for the sake of survival that she fought, defeated and killed whoever stood against her. They were good people, perhaps, but she still trampled over them all the same. And each time, there was a bitter taste in her mouth.

She fought to live, and yet here she was now, about to be killed. Why? Because she was never supposed to exist in the first place.

It infuriated her. But what could she do? Could she fight back? How?

_I..._

What was it? What did she want to do? Even at this moment, where death loomed over her, what did she wish for?

_I...want to..._

**_What is it you wish for?_**

There was a sliver of light at the water's surface. Something broke through, diving down towards her. Reaching out to grab her. She couldn't tell who they were. Were they a program meant to finish the job? Was it her Servant?

Her mouth opened. She couldn't hear her own voice, but she could feel her throat rumble as the words parted from her lips.

**[MOON CELL RULER REGISTRATION DETECTED]**

**[REGALIA GRANTED TO DESIGNATED INHERITOR]**

A dim light shiner on her finger. The being approaching grew into focus. Her eyes widened, fear seizing her very being.

**[WARNING! FORCED VELBER INTERFERENCE DETECTED]**

**[ALLOCATED MESSAGE OF INHERITOR. INITIATING KALEIDOSCOPE RECONSTRUCTION SLIDE.]**

The creature's maw opened, fingers about to touch her.

Hakuno opened her mouth to scream.

In the next moment, her world became filled with light.

* * *

TIME01 - The Girl from the Lunar Ocean

* * *

Hakuno Kishinami opened her eyes, overwhelmed by a sensation of drowsiness. Her body felt sluggish, wrapped in a bundle of warmth. Her mind was cloudy, her only thoughts being that she wanted to go back to sleep and bask in the warmth of the bundle. Her eyes closed again, but opened right back up when something infiltrated her nostrils.

_Something smells delicious..._

A feeling of discomfort gnawed at her stomach, a strange sound rumbling from it. It took her a moment to realize that what she was experiencing was hunger. It also took her another moment to realize where she was.

She was in a room, radically different from the Private Room that she had come to call "home." It was small and barren, barely big enough to hold a decent-sized bed and desk. The paint on the walls were peeling off, even showing a few cracks.

"...huh?"

This was odd. Where was this place? More accurately, how had she come by here? She pulled herself out of the bed, bare feet clad in socks touching the floorboards. She looked down at herself, seeing that she still had what little she could say she owned. A brown school uniform, blue ribbon neatly tied around her collar and black stockings. On the back of her hand were a set of tattoos. Faded, inactive Command Seals. There was also a silver ring on her finger with a gemstone on it, constantly shifting colors like a kaleidoscope: red, blue and green, then shifting back to red and repeating.

Hakuno pursed her lips. She did not recall owning a ring. When had it found its way onto her person?

No, that was irrelevant. Right now, she needed to investigate her surroundings and-

Another strange sound rumbled from her stomach. Hakuno grimaced, feeling unusual pain shooting through her stomach. Was this what it was like to be hungry?

...perhaps some food was in order?

Still slightly wary about her surroundings, Hakuno carefully and gently opened the door, stepping into a hallway. Her feet barely made any sounds whatsoever against the hardwood floor beneath her, though they gave low creaks when she stepped on them. She descended down a flight of stairs, following the delicious smell that was beckoning her down.

Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Hakuno saw food being set on the table by an older man, wrinkles set into his skin and cheeks sunken. His hands were thin, but she could tell that they were surprisingly nimble by how he set the plates down on the table while preparing the food he had recently made. There were glasses sitting atop his face, which meant that his vision was probably failing him. Or they were used for reading, either or.

She stared long and hard at the man. He had not noticed her and was focused on his task. She felt no hostile intent from him. In fact, she saw not an ounce of combat in him. If anything, he felt more like he was...passive. Like battle was the last thing on her mind. It didn't put her at ease, but she felt confident that she was not in any danger.

"Excuse me." She finally made her presence known and instantly regretted it. The man, spooked, let out a cry as the food he was preparing went flying and scrambled to snatch it onto the plates in his hands. Thankfully, not a single item had touched the floor and safely made it onto the plates, making him and Hakuno sigh in relief. "Could you tell me where I am?"

"Oh! You're awake. That's a relief." the man smiled warmly. The moment she saw it, Hakuno felt the tension in her body leave almost immediately. His eyes twinkled, showing nothing but kindness and warmth to her. He also looked as if he had never seen combat a day in his life. "You must be hungry. Here, come! Sit! The food's ready, little miss!"

Hakuno nodded. She slipped into one of the vacant seats. The kind old man handed her a fork and knife. She fumbled slightly, realizing that her hands were trembling for whatever reason, but she was able to dig into her food.

The second it touched her taste buds, Hakuno found herself in heaven. The next few minutes that came afterwards had Hakuno taking small chunks of the dish set in front of her, savoring every inch of the flavors.

_It didn't compare to her Servant's cooking, but it was delicious all the same_.

After the final bite slid down her throat, Hakuno let out a content sigh and placed her utensils back on the plate. "That was delicious." she complimented the man's cooking.

"Thank you kindly. Oh, wait! I forgot! I didn't introduce myself. I'm Junichiro."

"Hakuno. Kishinami, Hakuno."

The old man smiled. "Nice to meet you, Hakuno-chan. How are you feeling, by the way?"

She wasn't entirely sure how to answer that. On the one hand, she was confused and unsure of her surroundings. And on the other hand, she didn't understand her situation at all. She had so many questions to ask, but she would ask them in time.

"I am well."

"That's good." Junichiro sighed in relief. "To be honest, I was worried out of my mind when Sougo came in with you on his back. He said he found you passed out on the ground, out cold right in front of the shop." Sougo? Could that be the man's son? And she was unconscious on the ground? In front of this place? "Oh, this is my home and workplace. Kujigojido, or just 95Do for short. Sougo is my nephew."

"I see. Where is Sougo?"

"Out on errands. He should be back shortly." Junichiro then frowned heavily in concern. "Hakuno-chan, what were you doing passed out on the ground? Surely, there must have been a better place to take a nap."

"I don't know." And she honestly meant that. She had no idea how or why she ended up in front of a store.

"Where do you live? Do your parents know you're here?"

"I don't have parents." At least, she didn't think so. The only information Hakuno looked up about herself was who she was and what happened for her to end up with no memories and on the Moon Cell. The Moon Cell had not provided her with any information about her parents or mentioned them. Hakuno noticed Junichiro's expression soften and eyes glossy. "Is something-?"

"I'm sorry." he cut her off, voice full of sadness. "I didn't mean to be insensitive. Do you...do you live with anyone?" Hakuno shook her head. "Have you...been living on your own?" She nodded. Junichiro's eyes turned sad as he took a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "E-excuse me for a second. I need a moment."

Junichiro stood up and shuffled into a back room. Hakuno watched him leave, wondering if she had said something wrong. Before she could think about it further, she heard the sound of a door sliding open, followed by a young man shouting, "I'm home, uncle!" A teenager, a few years older than her, stepped into the dining room. He wore a dark pink t-shirt with white dress pants, his brown hair complimenting his eyes.

Hakuno stared at him. Was this Sougo? Upon noticing her, Sougo's eyes widened. "You're the girl from before! You're up?!"

"Yes. I-"

_-a world sieged by death and despair. The ground was scorched beneath his feet, the sky angry and gray. Machines lay in ruins, men and women wearing armor and wielding guns were strewn about on the ground, barely able to stand. _

_In the center of it all, a golden armored figure stood. "You could not possibly hope to defeat me." His voice was rough, implying he was old. There was a weight behind his words. Strength. "Do you know why? It is because-"_

She blinked and shook her head, the images fading faster than she could recall them. What in the world was that just now? Some sort of vision? It felt unusual. She would have likened it to a dream cycle, but it had felt unnatural and too different. That, and she was certain she had not been into a contract with any Servant as of yet, since her Command Seals were still faded.

"Is something wrong?" the teenager asked her, noticing her confused look.

"It... It's nothing. I'm Hakuno."

The boy smiled. "Nice to meet you, Hakuno-chan. I'm Sougo! Sougo Tokiwa. Junichiro is my great-uncle. Are you feeling any better?"

"Yes. Junichiro said you found me outside?"

"Yeah. Have to admit, I wasn't expecting to find a poor girl out cold in front of the shop right when I left for errands!" Sougo had explained how exactly he had found her in detail, matching with what Junichiro had told her. "By the way, is that a school uniform? It looks different from the ones here in town. Are you a transfer student or something?"

Hakuno wondered how to answer that. Before she could, Junichiro returned. "Sougo, you're back? Did you get groceries?"

"Right here!" Sougo held up the bag in his hand. "We're all set for dinner. What were you doing?"

"I was talking with an old friend of mine." his uncle replied. "It's about Hakuno-chan." The brown-haired girl blinked at that. She pointed to herself, asking him if she was talking about her. Junichiro smiled kindly. "Ne, Hakuno-chan! How do you feel about staying here for a while?"

...what?

* * *

It was close.

It was _so_ close. Just a few more inches, and it could have taken it.

It felt disappointed, but it knew that it was not the only chance it could get.

Yes, there would indeed be plenty of other chances. Especially since the Moon Cell had accidentally brought it with her.

It was just a fragment. A shard of its core piece, but it was enough. It could seek out the Regalia on its own. But it was also weak. It could not withstand the Inheritor, not if the girl had already summoned her Servant.

It knew it needed a pawn. A piece to act in its place, but who? What life form in this ruined landscape could offer it the power it required?

As if answering it's unwent question, a voice called out. "My, my. What could have brought something like you here in this hellhole?"

The creature turned...and _smiled_.

_Yes. This one would do quite nicely_.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: Ladies and gentlemen, I bring to you the second spin-off of Boyzilla's Digital Human series. This will also be the last story I publish for a while until I complete some of my other stories. The last thing I need is to increase my workload.

This is set during the last month of summer vacation, and a few days before Sougo obtains the Zi-O Ridewatch. As for Servants, I have deliberated and decided who Hakuno would summon. Boyzilla had said that the limit of Servants Hakuno can command has been bumped up to four, but for the sake of keeping the cast of characters to something I can manage, she will only have three.

It will also be a while before I introduce the first Servant. Hakuno's journey is going to start off as a slow start, but it will eventually pick up. For now, she has to settle into a world where she doesn't have to worry about much of anything.

For now.


	2. TIME02

**DISCLAIMER**: I do not own Kamen Rider of Fate. Both belong to Toei and Nasu-sensei respectively.

* * *

**DIGITAL QUARTZER**

* * *

Hakuno Kishinami did not exist in this world. A fact that was proven the very next day after Junichiro Tokiwa's offer was given. She sat in a rather empty room inside the town's police station. It was barren, chairs lining the walls and a single woman in uniform manning the counter, seemingly bored out of her mind. Junichiro was further in the back, talking with some elderly man he claimed was a close friend of his. She didn't know what it was they were discussing, having only gotten bits and pieces such as her having no identification or there being no records of her.

However, given what she understood based on her stay so far, that was to be expected.

First, there was the technological state of the town she was in. Technology appeared to be within the 20th century, appliances plugged into walls and not a lick of anything remotely futuristic, much less the fact that holographic technology didn't appear to exist. Secondly, she had seen a newspaper on the kitchen table. A quick look at the date told her that she was not only in another world, but also in the past as well. Specifically, in the year 2018. Third and finally was the fact that the moon could be seen in the night sky when it was time to go to bed. Earth had been in surprisingly good condition, considering that Gaea was on its death woes.

Hakuno glanced down at the ring on her fingers. _The one item that didn't make sense_. Just what even was this? What was the thing that tried to attack her? The more she pondered, the more confused she became.

_But, she was still alive._

Yes, that fact she was alive was enough. She had survived. She was...free? Was that the correct word? She thought so, but wasn't entirely sure. Could the ring have been the reason?

Hakuno did not have any real interest in jewelry. Nor had any use for it. She could just throw it aside, but...

_She couldn't. She cannot throw this away. Only danger and death would follow if she did_.

That was the feeling she got.

She glanced up, the woman at the desk working on a document of some sort. She had not once glanced at Hakuno the entire time, focused on the papers. Junichiro returned from the far back, looking a cross between exhausted and anxious. There was someone else behind him, a man wearing blue clothes and a cap, a fine frosty beard over his face. It was not as magnificent as the one Dan Blackmore sported, but it was certainly impressive.

"Are you Kishinami?" the man inquired, eyes beady.

Hakuno nodded. She wondered who the man was. Fortunately, Junichiro must have read her mind or something because he soon provided the answer. "Hakuno-chan, this is Ryo-san. He's the poor guy in charge of the station here."

"Oi oi, Chiro-kun." Ryo laughed. "I'm doing fine for myself, small workload and all. I'm not the one who keeps getting odd requests. Didn't you get a request to fix somebody's microwave?"

The brown-haired girl tilted her head. "Isn't Kujigojido a clock repair shop?"

Ryo choked and averted his eyes. Junichiro's eyes sparkled. "Cute. Absolutely adorable." he mumbled in a daze before he shook his head. "Oh, er, ahem! Yes, my shop repairs clocks, but every now and then I get the strangest requests. Anyway! Ryo-san is going to help you."

"Help me?"

Help her how? Was she in some sort of trouble?

"It..." Recovering from his fit, Ryo began. "It's just a normal procedure, nothing you need to worry about."

He led her into the back. Junichiro watched her go before he held his hands over his chest. "Be still, my beating heart. Aah! That girl is just precious! If only I could adopt her... No, wait. I couldn't do that. It's too sudden! I don't even know how old she is! I mean, she looks younger than Sougo, but what if she's one of those kids that happens to be older than she looks?!"

"Tokiwa-san." the woman from the counter snapped without looking away from her bingo book. "Please be quiet. This is a police station."

"Ah! I'm sorry!"

* * *

TIME02 - The Swing of Things

* * *

"You have amnesia?"

Hakuno nodded. "Yes. I do not recall much of my own history, but I do know that I do not have parents."

Ryo grimaced. When Junichiro came to him and said that he needed his help, he wasn't sure what to think. He had known the man since that fateful day his poor granddaughter and son-in-law were killed in that accident, leaving their son his only living relative, having done whatever he could to try and provide help whenever he needed it. It came as a surprise to him when Junichiro told him that he wanted to look after a girl he found unconscious outside of his shop, at least until he could figure out what to do with her.

Initially, Ryo thought the best idea would be for the girl to be put into foster care, but the more he questioned this girl, the more complicated things were becoming. She looked young, maybe fourteen, but he couldn't be sure. Her uniform didn't belong to any schools in town, nor did he recognize the emblem. He would have to call in a few favors to try and get information, but things became even more complicated with her telling him that she had no parents, much less memories.

Now he understood why Junichiro seemed so flustered. The poor girl looked so lost.

"I see..." He added another note to the girl's profile before looking back up. "Is there anything else you remember, Kishinami? To his disappointment, she shook his head. "Well, you're certainly not making things easier for me."

"I'm sorry." she apologized.

"No, no. It's not your fault."

Still, what should he do in this situation? He could try and put in a request form for foster care and have Junichiro be her guardian until she was processed, but with what little information he had, it would probably take several months before he could get a response. Another option was to investigate her and see if she had any living relatives. If she did, then he would be able to contact them and inform them about their situation. If she didn't have any other living relatives, his only other option was to go by her school uniform and try and build a better profile from there.

But those were all situations that required investigations and long-term goals. Right now, he was required to find a temporary, more immediate solution. But what in the hell was he supposed to do? She had no identification, no family and nothing to her name. The girl may as well be an orphan!

Ryo let out a sigh and rubbed his temples. "I suppose this will have to do." he muttered to himself before returning his attention to Hakuno. "Since you don't have any identification or parents, legally speaking, the best option would be to go through the proper channels and get you set up, and then afterwards, put you into foster care. But, for now, the best thing would be to stay with Chiro-kun."

"I understand." Hakuno nodded.

"It might also be in your best interest to enroll in a school, but..."

Since he couldn't accurately determine her age, enrolling would be a bit of a problem. Not to mention that her stay would be brief. Once he got everything in order and Hakuno was processed, she would have to leave town to stay with her new foster parents. Ryo didn't really see a point in having her enroll in school.

Something flashed in Hakuno's eyes. Something he couldn't accurately describe before it vanished again.

"You can go back now."

Hakuno thanked Ryo and left the room. The old officer sighed deeply. Why couldn't these things be simple?

* * *

School life...

Hakuno had to admit, she was curious to know what that sort of life was like. Her time in Tsukumihara could not be considered school life in the least. She attended classes, but the lessons typically didn't mean much. In fact, all school life amounted to was simply to provide a sense of normalcy for the participants of the Holy Grail War. It was a backdrop, nothing more.

Actual school life, though, was something Hakuno pondered. She imagined what it must be like to go there every day, to make friends and listen to lectures and study, sitting in a classroom surrounded by people that were either strangers or friends waiting to be made.

_For some reason, her heart ached_.

"Hakuno-chan?" The girl blinked and looked up from her plate, finding Sougo looking at her in concern. "Is something wrong?"

She was about to say that it was nothing, but paused. Sougo looked like he was a student. Perhaps...

"Sougo-san, what's school like?"

Sougo stared at her curiously before shrugging. "It's...normal, I guess? I mean, sometimes it can get pretty boring depending on the teacher and subject. I hate math with a passion and usually try to steer clear of it, but I like history." An excited look appeared on his face. "Especially about kings! Before we started summer vacation, we were learning about Oda Nobunaga. This year, I think we'll be learning about Alexander the Great. Did you know that his empire was one of the largest to ever exist at the time of his rule?"

Hakuno nodded. Though her knowledge on certain aspects of history were lacking, there were a few characters she knew well.

_An Emperor who loved her people, but was betrayed. A maiden who loved her ermperor, but was sen as a monster. A man who wished to become a hero, but met his end at the hands of a justice system._

Sougo continued to express his passion. Hakuno noticed that there was a gleam in his eyes as he did so. "Do you like learning about kings?"

"Of course! And someday, I'm going to become king!"

Oh? That was interesting. "What kind of king do you want to be?"

Sougo stared at Hakuno in surprise. What was that look for? Had she said something wrong. "You...don't think that's strange?"

"Why would I think that?" she answered. "I think it's a good dream. But what kind of king do you want to be?"

He stared at Hakuno a moment longer, the corners of his lips curling upwards. "I...want to be a great king. The kind that can protect everyone he rules over." he said. "A king that my parents could be proud of."

"That's a wonderful dream."

"It is, isn't it?"

* * *

It came so fast, he almost didn't see it coming. He had closed his eyes in fear, expecting the end to come for him at any second. When he opened his eyes, he found only silence. The car was stopped dead in its tracks, as if frozen on the spot. "What...?"

"Well, that's just sad." someone snickered. "Looks like you got some bad luck there." He turned around and found a man sitting on a nearby bench, dressed in odd clothes, almost entirely made of leather. He recoiled in fear when he saw the man's face. The left side was completely black, marked with geometrical yellow markings. His left eye was swallowed by a black sclera, iris bloody red. "And what a shame, too. You had such a promising career as a teacher, didn't you?"

"W-who are you?" he asked fearfully.

The man smiled wickedly. "Who, me?" he chuckled. "I'm the guy who's gonna give you a second lease on life. You can call me Tid. So, tell me something professor..."

Tid stood up and walked over to him, holding out what looked like a twisted white watch with a face printed on it. The face of a monster, twisted and bearing snarling fangs.

"...how much do you want to live?"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: A bit on the short side, but we're getting closer to the action. There will be one more chapter that will focus on Hakuno getting adjusted, then we'll get to see how things will go.

As you can see, Velber's made an ally with Tid, the "Super" Time Jacker from the crossover movie, Kamen Rider: Heisei Generations FOREVER. And he's making himself a Another Rider a few days before Swartz and co. do. But who is he after?

Three guesses. The first two don't count.

* * *

**REVIEWS**:

Daemon of Crawling Tentacles: Hakuno will be a major player, since the Servant she's going to summon is going to make an utter mess of the Zi-O timeline. You'll understand soon enough. In all honesty, I was tempted to use Build, but I thought Zi-O might be better for what I have planned.

FM Tomomi: I don't see a point in using a MC replacement OC when I'm having Hakuno become involved in the plot of Zi-O.

Boyzilla: I noticed. *sigh* And yeah, this fragment is already scary enough...and now, it's merged itself with someone who messes up timelines for his own ends. And if you know anything about Tid, you'll know that him being fused with Velber is a VERY bad thing.

merendinoemiliano: Oh, he will. Especially since, as of this chapter, Hakuno is the one person who isn't making fun of his dream of becoming a king. I wonder how he would react if he learned that she fought alongside countless kings and rulers in her time?


	3. TIME03

**DISCLAIMER**: I do not own Kamen Rider of Fate. Both belong to Toei and Nasu-sensei respectively.

* * *

**DIGITAL QUARTZER**

* * *

The next few days had gone by in the blink of an eye. Hakuno had not yet adjusted to life within 95Do, but she had gotten to know the Tokiwa relatives better.

Junichiro, as she observed, was trying to play the role of a guardian of sorts. She likened him to a grandfather, which wasn't far from what he was. He did everything he could to make her stay comfortable until Ryo had decided on where she would go. He did fumble on a few things, but somehow, it made him endearing. He was also the one to suggest that she enroll in Sougo's school, to which the latter was more than happy to support. It was somewhat odd for her, being treated the way she was.

She wondered if this was what it was like to live with a family.

Sougo had also become increasingly close to her. Somehow, her words to him in regards to his dream of becoming king had made her either a surrogate sibling or close friend. Junichiro told her in a later conversation that everyone usually tended to laugh at Sougo's aspirations and never took him seriously. In other words, she was the first person to ever actually show support for his dream. He even believed that, in Sougo's eyes, Hakuno might be the first friend he had ever made.

The teenager had helper her as best he could to prepare for school, since summer vacation was almost over. While the subject of her age was questionable, given how young she looked as well as her own lack of knowledge on the matter, her academic skills in a mock exam made her eligable. Once school began in August, Hakuno Kishinami would start life as a high school freshman.

Was she supposed to feel excited? Anxious? She wasn't entirely sure. Instead, she just moved on with life.

It was midday and the skies were clear. It was uncomfortably warm, so Hakuno had opted to wear in lighter clothing. After Junichiro was made her temporary guardian, the first thing he did was by her some new clothes. A yellow shirt with a small bluish-white short-sleeved jacket and black leggings replaced her usual choice of attire.

Come to think of it, all she ever wore was her school uniform. Then again, she never really felt the need to change clothes. Not when a uniform was all that was provided to her.

Right now, the survivor of the Moon Cell was walking through town, getting used to the layout. Some streets and pathways felt very narrow, with the path leading to school that Sougo showed her being a narrow stairway that had just enough room for two people, side by side, to pass through. It didn't feel very big, which may explain why much of the townsfolk already appeared to know her. A few shopkeepers appeared to recognize her, some whispering to themselves and pointing her out. She overheard a couple of teenagers, most likely students at Sougo's school, refer to her as "that girl living with the Tokiwas."

The attention wasn't something she was entirely used to, but she ignored it for the most part. No one held any hostile intent towards her.

_This was what a normal life felt like_.

That was how Hakuno felt, at any rate. For now, she would simply enjoy what this life had to offer.

In mid-step, Hakuno stopped and cringed, feeling a stinging pain in her hand. "Nrgh." She looked down. It was faint, but the faded Command Seals were burning to life. They were glowing a faint red color, but the sensation soon died down and the markings turned dormant once more. The pain washed away shortly afterwards.

What was that just now? Was her Servant trying to re-establish their contract? Was she trying to remake a contract with a Servant? But, how was that possible? Was it a subconscious reaction?

So lost in thought was she that she did not notice the white shape heading straight for a collision course until it was too late. "Oof." Hakuno and the person that crashed into her fell to the ground. Snapping out of her daze, Hakuno looked up and moved to apologize. "I'm sorry. I-"

_A girl lost in time. Clocks danced at her fingertips, but they were still. They made neither chime nor tic. They laid asleep, until the day she had regained her sense of self. Until the self within was stirred. _

"I'm so sorry about that." the woman before her apologized, unaware of Hakuno's odd stare. Her black hair fell past her shoulders, white mantle cloaking her shoulders. Underneath was a white blouse and black tights. Around her neck was a white choker. "I should have realized where I was going." She pulled herself up and offered Hakuno a hand. "Here."

She stared at the girl a moment longer before she removed herself from her daze, deciding to ponder what that image was later. She grabbed the woman's hand and was pulled up to her feet. "I should apologize. I was lost in thought. I didn't see you coming."

"No, no. The fault's mine." the woman smiled softly. "I just arrived here in town and wanted to explore, so I was a little excited." Somehow, Hakuno felt that she wasn't telling the entire story. However, it was not her place to pry. After all, she was the last person to question why someone would arrive her. Still, what was this odd feeling? "I'm Tsukuyomi."

"Hakuno." She paused a moment later, realizing something. "You're named after a god?"

"Sort of. It's a long story." Tsukuyomi replied sheepishly, looking a little embarrassed. "By the way, would you happen to know anyone by the name of Sougo Tokiwa?"

At this, the brown-haired girl became curious. Why was someone who just got here in town asking about Sougo? What should she do? Question her about her intentions? Lie about her affiliation? That one seemed like a poor choice, given how small this town was. If she stayed in town long enough, she would know that she lived in 95Do, so perhaps being truthful was the best answer. Even so, she was still wary.

Hakuno chose to be direct. "Why do you want to know about Sougo?"

"Er that is...a long story." the black-haired girl answered hesitantly. "How should I put this? I...met him not too long ago and he did something for me." A lie, but not entirely. She was not lying about meeting him, Hakuno knew that. "But, he was...how can I put it? Well, I didn't understand why he did what he did, and I wanted to see what sort of person he was."

Hakuno stared at her. Tsukuyomi shifted uncomfortably, finding her gaze to be unsettling. There was no filter in those eyes, just raw emotion. She had never seen anyone look at her in such a manner.

"...if you want to know about Sougo, he is a good person." the brown-haired girl said after a moment of silence. Tsukuyomi's eyes widened. "I don't know if what he did was good or bad in your eyes, but from what little I know about him is that he is a good person."

"I...see..."

"I'm sorry. I have to get back to getting groceries now. Have a good day, Tsukuyomi."

"Er, y-yes. Thank you, Hakuno-chan."

Hakuno nodded and left the odd woman behind. She wondered if she should ask Sougo about what he did to have earned the curiosity of a stranger, but ultimately decided not to. It was not her place to pry into his affairs. Still, who was she? And why did she feel so strange? She was unlike anyone she had met before.

Tsukuyomi, similarly, thought the same about Hakuno Kishinami as she watched the girl leave. She had arrived in town in the hopes of learning about Sougo Tokiwa and observe him before their inevitable meeting, but she hadn't expected to run into someone who knew him, much less expressed her thoughts so strongly. She pondered on her words about Sougo Tokiwa being a good person and wondered what their connection was. Were they siblings, perhaps?

* * *

TIME03: Things to Come

* * *

"I'm home." Hakuno announced her return, her bags full of items from the market.

"Welcome back, Hakuno-chan!" Sougo called. He immediately rushed over to help her with her bags, setting them down on the kitchen counter before removing the items from the bags. Junichiro would be working on dinner shortly, so it was better to get everything out right now. The teenager stopped all of a sudden and looked at her in concern. "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Hakuno asked.

"You just seem...confused, I guess. Did something happen?"

She shook her head. "Nothing out of the ordinary. A girl was asking about you."

"A g-girl?" For some reason, Sougo's cheeks turned pink. "W-what did she say?"

"She said you did something to her and wanted to know why you did."

"Eh? Sougo, did you do something unsavory to some poor girl?" Junichiro happened to emerge from the back of the room at that moment, overhearing their conversation. He gave his nephew a cross look. "I thought I raised you better than that. What would your parents say?"

"No no no! You got it wrong, uncle! I haven't done anything bad to anyone! I swear!" Sougo panicked. "H-Hakuno-chan, what did this girl say about me?!"

"She didn't exactly say. I just told her you were a good person."

"O-oh..." He looked quite embarrassed, scratching his cheek as a goofy smile appeared on his face. "W-well, thank you for saying that on my behalf. Though I don't remember doing anything for a girl. Did she say what her name was?"

"Tsukuyomi."

Sougo frowned. "Tsukuyomi... I don't remember anyone by that name. And I'm pretty sure no one at school goes by that name. Uncle, do you know if I knew anyone by that name?"

"None that I can recall." Junichiro shook his head. "Well, if she wants to ask about you, she can do so to your face. Seems a bit rude to be talking about someone behind their back if you ask me. Now, enough talking and help me with dinner."

"On the subject of dinner, uncle, don't you think making fried shrimp and steak is going a bit overboard?"

"Of course not! Tomorrow is Hakuno-chan's big day at your school tomorrow! I'm making a feast fit for kings!" Junichiro boasted proudly, huffing his chest.

Hakuno gave a small smile at Sougo. "I'm sure His Majesty will enjoy it." Sougo blushed. She blinked in realization. Did she just tease him? So that's how it felt. Huh.

* * *

_The world rippled and trembled. Its existence became altered. Every part of it was changed. At the surface, it remained the same. But inside, it was something else. Something new entirely. Every gear and cog that made up the world had been replaced by new cogs and machines. _

_A golden armored figure stood in the middle of a plaza, staring up at the cloudy sky hanging overhead. His surroundings looked as if he had just emerged from a battle. Buildings were destroyed, partially cracked or reduced to rubble. Piles of concrete and debris were scattered about. And whatever conflict had occurred here had happened recently, as there were two corpses lying about on either side._

_Sorrow, anger and grief filled him as he looked at the bodies of his dearest friends. He cursed the name of the man who ruined his life with every fiber of his being before wondering where he would go from here._

_"A magnificent victory, my overlord." a smooth voice called out to him. He turned his head, finding a man holding a book approaching him. There was a smile on his face, but it was strained. "The worlds are now as one. You have saved it. Congratulations, my overlord. You are now king." He placed a hand over his heart as he kneeled, head bowed like a servant towards his master. "The world is yours to rule. Now and forevermore."_

_That's right. He had finally achieved his lifelong goal. He was now the king he had dreamed of becoming since he was but a child, despite that dream being little more than part of a plot that had now come to an end. He was still conflicted about how he should feel. Should he be angry, considering his crowning had come to pass, just as **that man** had hoped? Or should he feel happy?_

_He felt neither of these things. Instead, he felt sad. Why?_

_They weren't here to see him anymore. They couldn't see him save the world. They couldn't see him become king and fulfill his promise._

_The golden king sighed, his heart weighing in grief. Was this what they called a Pyrrhic victory?_

_'I swear...'_ _the man thought to himself, his fingers curling into fists. 'I won't let your deaths be in vein. I swear, no matter what...'_

_He would be a Demon King. The greatest, strongest and most kind Demon King to ever exist._

_'I swear, I'll be a great king. Okay, guys...?'_

_Silence was his answer. Today would be the last day he would ever shed tears._

* * *

Hakuno opened her eyes, finding them slightly blurry. She groaned as she pulled herself up, sheets falling off her small form.

The dream just had experienced just now... It felt similar to the dream cycles she had with her Servant. She felt as if she had been walking in that person's shoes. She felt everything he did and more. How heavy and hurt he was, wondering what he would do now without his friends. But who was it?

_A golden armored man wearing a smirk on his face, red eyes alight with amusement and condescension came to her mind._

She shook her head. Those two felt absolutely nothing alike. And whereas arrogance and strength came from that smug face that she couldn't place, the man she dreamed of had charisma and passion. He truly felt like a king, but at the same time, there was a heavy regret in his chest as well. And something else she couldn't identify. She tried to think about what it may have been, but Hakuno couldn't discern what it could have been.

But, if it felt like a dream cycle, then was it possible...?

_Was that golden armored figure her-?_

"Aah!"

Hakuno winced as a stinging pain erupted in her hand. Her faded Command Seals flared, seemingly brighter than they had the other day, but quickly fell silent once more. She stared at her hand with a heavy frown. Again. It had happened again. Her connection to her Servant should have been severed, but this feeling...there was no mistaking it. Something was trying to establish a contract with her.

But who, or what, could it be?

"Hakuno-chan!" Junichiro's voice beckoned. "Sougo! Come on down, you lazy bums! You'll be late for school!"

Hakuno sighed. She had nearly forgotten. She pulled her covers away and began to disrobe herself, changing into her new school uniform.

She could ponder the meaning of that dream later.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: This will be the last slice-of-life chapter. Now, we get into the good stuff.

Also, word of warning. The Servant that's going to appear is going to throw the story of Zi-O into quite the curveball. I'm sure you understand why.

Long live the king.

And...wow. I am honestly in shock by how warm a reception I've gotten with this fanfic. Thank you so much, you guys. This honestly means a lot, and I hope you will all continue to enjoy this journey!

* * *

**REVIEW**:

Daemon of Crawling Tentacles: Kissasian . sh is where I typically watch Kamen Rider, so perhaps you can try and use that site? In regards to Kamen Riders fighting Servants, I actually have something planned for that. It's not entirely going to be what you'll be expecting, but it will be a pleasant surprise nonetheless.

Akasha Bloodriver: Are you kidding? Gilgamesh would KILL Sougo the very second he opens his mouth about wanting to become a king! Not to mention the fact that Gilgamesh will be summoned in the modern era equivalent to the Fuyuki Holy Grail Wars, which means he'll be in a very bad mood. Hakuno was just in luck that, since SERAPH more closely resembled his old kingdom, Gilgamesh was in a "slightly" better mood and reasonable. And less of an asshole. Emphasis on that last one.

Guest #1: Those are some good guesses, but no. The Velberized Tid's Another Riders are not going to be Dark Riders.

disgundam00: Sorry to burst your bubble, but Hakuno will not become a Kamen Rider. I have to follow the guidelines that Boyzilla set for the Digital Human series, which is that Hakuno cannot gain abilities or develop abilities belonging to the world she is sent to. An example being that Hakuno cannot become a Digidestined in Digital Extra.

TheOkWriter: Not true. There is someone else besides Decade at this point that can destroy the Another Rider.

Guest (GuestStar): You have raised some very good points. And you are correct. Some Riders can overpower Servants, just as Servants can overpower some Riders. I honestly think that Kuuga in his Ultimate form could take on the likes of Heracles and Gilgamesh, and Evolt? That guy just may very well rank right up there with the Beasts, if only in terms of destructive power. In regards to Sougo's characterization, he will be getting some alterations to his character, courtesy of his interactions with Hakuno. The biggest one being their first meeting, where she doesn't make fun of his dream and asks him what kind of king he wants to be.

Reversentai: Perhaps. Tsukasa might be aware of the Moon Cell because of his dimension hopping abilities, but who can say?

Dxhologram: Only two. There will be one Servant who is not a king, but I can't say who it is. Spoiler reasons, I'm afraid.

tormeric246: Don't tempt me.

gildas13579: From here on, the chapters will be significantly longer. Not like 10k words, mind you, but longer than the splice-of-life we've been getting.

DescendantYI2: Honestly, I think people do that because we've already seen the characters and stories of the Riders in question. True, they could grow even further in some situations, but I think a nice change of pace is always good. That being said, in my opinion, it also depends on how the OC in question is written. Take Haru Yamamoto from Ashbel Longhart's Kamen Rider Faiz: Song of Paradise fanfic. He's not angsty, doesn't have a dark and troubled past or anything of the like. He's a good example of how a KR OC Protagonist should be done. And yes, since Zi-O is finished, I have a lot more creative freedom. And you can expect there to be a LOT of changes.


	4. TIME04

**DISCLAIMER**: I do not own Kamen Rider of Fate. Both belong to Toei and Nasu-sensei respectively.

* * *

**DIGITAL QUARTZER**

* * *

Junichiro looked as if he was about to die of a heart attack.

It was impossible. Simply impossible.

How could something in this world look so...so...

"Huh. My school's uniform looks good on you, Hakuno-chan!"

"Do you think so?"

_So absolutely adorable!?_

There she stood, the girl who, in a mere month, he had come to see as a surrogate granddaughter, wearing a school uniform. Not that brown uniform she was always wearing until he bought her suitable clothes, but a better uniform. One with a blue bow, crisp white button-up shirt and a patterned blue skirt. If it was possible, it somehow made Hakuno look a little younger.

"What do you think, uncle?" Sougo asked Junichiro.

He nodded rapidly. "It looks fantastic! You look so cute in it, Hakuno-chan!" he said. The girl smiled back. "Hurry up and sit down! I'm fixing breakfast as we speak!"

Hakuno and Sougo took their seats. Breakfast had become a routine affair, and Hakuno found herself enjoying the company. Whenever she ate, it was usually either by herself or with her Servant standing close at hand. It was her first time eating with more than just one person or by herself around her.

_She wondered if this was how it felt to be in a family_.

"So, Hakuno-chan. Are you excited for your first day?"

Hakuno replied with a nod, taking a bite of the slice of toast in her mouth. "Yes. Though I'm not sure what to expect."

"The first days are usually the easiest for first-years." Sougo told her. "They mostly tell you what to expect before diving into the material. By the way, what classes are you taking?"

"Science, Mathematics, Social Science, History, Physical Education, and Biology."

"If you need help with history, let me know!" Sougo beamed. "I'm _really_ good, especially if it's about Oda Nobunaga."

Junichiro smiled wryly. "Still dreaming about becoming king, eh Sougo?"

"Well, of course. Even Hakuno-chan thinks I can do it!" The old man surprised at that and shot Hakuno a look. She gave a shrug in response. She didn't see any real reason to mock or dissuade Sougo about his dreams. Admittedly, wanting to be king in the modern day was odd, but she felt that it was not her place to pry about his wishes or demean him. "I'll be a king who protects his subjects, and make his parents proud."

Hakuno caught the flinch in Junichiro's face, but he masked it well enough. Now that she thought about it, where were Sougo's parents?

Before long, they had finished their meals and set off for school. As they left Junichiro to clean up the dishes, the clocksmith glanced at the photograph of a couple with a small child - Sougo's parents and the boy himself. A reminder of happier days. "A king that his parents can be proud of..." he murmured, smiling sadly at the picture. "I suppose that's a good dream after all."

* * *

TIME04: A Genius Encounter, Part One

* * *

Hakuno and Sougo had arrived at their school with little trouble. Or rather, Hakuno had to assist Sougo in walking in a straight line.

As it turned out, it appeared the students were aware of Sougo's dream of becoming king and found it hilarious, or told him to think straight. One example being a rather rude student wearing a white gi throwing him over the shoulder while they were walking down the stairs. On the plus side, however, Hakuno gave him a good pinch in the cheek and told him off for being rude to Sougo before helping the teen out.

Sougo insisted that he was fine and could make it to his class, albeit still hobbling while rubbing his sore backside. Hakuno was then free to search for her class.

Already, she felt the difference between Hikarigamori High School and Tsukumihara.

In that fake school that only served as a mere background and temporary oasis for the Masters before the war began, tension and anxiety ran high. Everything there was artificial. Fake. Its only purpose was to provide relief for the Masters before they inevitably began to slaughter one another. The memory alone was enough to make Hakuno nauseous. There was no "warmth" to it. It felt cold, almost like being at the bottom of an ocean.

Hikarigamori felt vibrant. Lively. No one treated each other as nuisances and enemies. There was laughter and jovial feelings in its halls. If Tsukumihara was at the bottom of an ocean, Hikarigamori was at the highest peak closest to the sun.

The difference was startling as it was unnerving. Hakuno could barely remain calm. Was this what it meant to be a fish out of water? How was she even supposed to continue at a school like this?

She steeled herself and refrained from further questions. Instead, she chose to brave the unknown as she always had. She entered her new classroom, catching the attention of a few of the students. Some stared at her curiously, having never seen her before while others whispered to themselves. The rest just continued on.

Not all of them, however.

"Oh, are you a new student?"

Hakuno was approached by a woman. A foreign woman, at that. Her long, golden hair was styled in coils and her eyes the color of autumn leaves, a velvet-blue rose neatly settled in her blonde locks. She bore a resemblance to a certain Master the brunette once knew, but whereas Rin seemed rather cold and aloof, the girl radiated a warm friendliness that could be felt miles away.

She was surprised that someone had marched up to her and greeted her so formally. She hastily replied with a nod. In turn, the woman smiled. "I thought as much. I've never seen you before until today. I'm Luvia. Luviagelita Edelfelt. Please, call me Luvia. I'm a foreign exchange student from England." She wouldn't have known that by appearance alone. Her Japanese was practically perfect. Luvia held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Hakuno shook her head. "I'm Hakuno Kishinami."

Luvia had chosen to more or less become her guide through the school after she was situated in class. Once they were allowed freetime during the break period, the blonde led her around the school and showed her various different faculty rooms, including the Science Room and Library. Hakuno felt that she would be visiting the library a lot. While this was happening, she also learned that Luvia was considered to be a straight-A student. In fact, she was given the offer to skip a whole grade, but chose to continue her course and receive the full "high school experience."

Namely, because by all rights, she had already received a college degree. In other words, she was a natural born genius.

"Why did you want to continue going to school if you already have a degree?" Hakuno asked her as they returned to class.

Luvia shrugged. "I simply wanted the full learning experience. That, and there's a reason why I came to Japan to study. By the way, Kishinami-chan... I heard you came here with an upperclassman."

"Ah, you mean Sougo." Hakuno nodded. "His uncle is my guardian."

"Really?" Luvia seemed surprise. "From what I've heard, though, Tokiwa-senpai is an oddball, even to the first-years. Apparently, he wants to become a king!"

Hakuno could understand why people reacted the way they did. Even so, she felt that it was rude of someone to dismiss another person's dreams. Sougo truly wanted to become a king, odd as that dream may seem, and he wanted to become a good king. Even if that dream was impossible to obtain, she wanted him to obtain it. Not in the way she achieved her wish, granted, but all the same.

"Sougo can be eccentric, but he is a good person." she replied.

Luvia pursed her lips. "I didn't say he wasn't. All I said was that he was just odd. _In more ways than one..._" She whispered that last part under her breath, so Hakuno didn't know what she said. "Anyway, let's return. We have Social Science next. I hope you're prepared." The survivor of the Moon Cell nodded in determination.

* * *

Today was the day.

Today was the day when he would fulfill his ambitions. Of that, Swartz was certain of.

It had been a long time coming, but the preparations were complete. He had everything set up perfectly. Heure had already left to accomplish his task while Ora was searching for worthwhile candidates that suited her preferences. In truth, he wished he had found better accomplices to help him achieve his goals, but he wasn't going to complain. They did have potential. _Especially_ Ora. Something about her seemed promising.

He waited for their return, looking at the world in front of him. Or rather, at the school where one Sougo Tokiwa was current at. He saw the young boy at his desk, completely zoning out and staring out the window. Not a single negative thought was in his mind, nor was he going to ever imagine what life had in store for him.

Swartz had to admit, the boy grew up nicely. His power was still weak, but even now, it was growing. Little by little. Soon, he would be at the level he needed the boy to be at. And once he was, he would be ripe for the picking.

He smirked. "Everything is as is ordained..."

No one could stop the flow of time. Not even a Demon King. Not when he was the one directing the flow.

And yet, someone disagreed with him. "Yo."

His blood froze. _'That voice...'_

He looked over his shoulder. Standing there was a face he had hoped he would never see again. But something had changed. Half of his face was stained black, geometric yellow lines marking it while turning the sclera of his eyes black and his irises red. The air about him had changed. It seemed almost inhuman.

"Tid?!"

The traitor laughed. "What's the matter, old buddy? You look like you've seen a ghost." He cracked a toothy smile. "Or, maybe you are. I do look pretty different now, don't I?"

"How?" Swartz growled. "You should be dead. I threw you-"

"-You threw me into a hellhole I couldn't get out of." Tid finished his sentence with a shrug. "A world with no future. A Dead End. But, you should have known that wasn't gonna stop me. After all, I still had some juice left. I was just waiting for the right time to bust out of that place and look for an opportunity. And then..." He pointed to the corruption on his face, grinning. "I made a new friend. One who showed me a lot of things."

He snarled. He didn't like this. This bastard had the gall to try and usurp him, not even a full month after he agreed to join him in his cause to protect their world. He was the one who threw Alpina into the abyss of time, after all. Granted, he failed to eliminate her, but he made damn sure she couldn't get in their way. And yet he betrayed him. All because he wanted power.

"Why have you come here, Tid? Trying to get in my way again?"

The man smirked. "Oh, that won't be my job. It'll be whoever that chicka is going to summon. I honestly can't wait to see who it will be. So many possibilities... And depending on who she gets, I'd say your grand master plan is going to go straight down the drain."

What was he talked about? Was this the raving of a mad man? Had Tid perhaps gone senile in his time within the Dead End he banished him to? Even so, Swartz did not let his guard down.

Heure and Ora may have been weaklings, but Tid was his only equal besides that damn sister of his.

"But, I do have to admit... I want to see that kid's story unfold." Tid chuckled. "That's why I took the pleasure of finding someone who can do the job. And maybe get what I'm after."

"What are you talking about?"

Just then, Heure appeared, emerging from a twisted distortion of time and space. "Swartz, what's going on? Why is there already a Another Rider- Tid?!" He noticed the presence of the traitor and trembled. "W-what?! How?!"

Swartz's eyes widened. "You-?!"

Tid grinned. Swartz swore he saw the blotch of black shift. "Let's see if your boy's and that chicka got the _winning formula_."

* * *

The bell rang and class reached its end. Hakuno stifled a yawn, feeling more exhausted than she had when she first began her arduous battles in the Moon Cell.

High school life, true high school life, was a tiring experience. Math and science seemed easy enough to learn, especially history, but other topics of discussion and physical education were trials in of themselves. Even now, she still felt her muscles burn.

Oh, how she envied a Servant's durability.

"Hakuno-chan!" Sougo greeted her as he came down the stairwell, a large smile on his face. "How'd your first day go?"

"Tiring." she murmured. "Want to go home and lie down." And rest her head. And maybe get some sleep.

She would have to endure this trial again tomorrow as well.

Sougo chuckled at her reaction. Her looking so mentally exhausted made her look so adorable. Not that he would say that out loud, he didn't want to be a creep! No sir! Especially since Hakuno was the first person to encourage him to pursue his dream besides his uncle! The two students left the building in search of the bike rack. However, upon finding his bike, Sougo paused. "Huh?" His line of sight was focused on the seat of his bike.

Or, more accurately, what was _on_ the seat of his bike. It looked like a watch of some kind, but it was very odd. There was a button at the top, but the face of the watch was just a set of gears.

"What is that?" Hakuno inquired as he picked it up.

"I have no idea. It looks weird." Sougo replied. "Did somebody forget this?"

"Congratulations."

The two jumped and whirled around. Hakuno's eyes went alight with recognition. A familiar face, one she had seen before in a dream, stood there behind them. A smile was present, but his eyes were not on them. Rather, they were set on his book.

Why was someone in her dreams standing before her? And why was he congratulating them?

"It seems that today will be a very special day for you." the man said as he closed his book shut, turning to face them. Or rather, at Sougo. In fact, Hakuno realized that he wasn't even paying any attention to her. "Ah, but a word of warning. Please beware of the red machine."

"What?"

Before either could get an answer out of him, he walked away. The two looked at each other. "Who was that?" Hakuno asked. "Did you know him?"

"No, I don't." Sougo answered. "What a weird guy... What's so special about today?" He frowned a bit, then shrugged and absent-mindedly slipped the odd watch into his pocket.

The two then walked out of the school and into the street.

"So, Hakuno-chan. What do you think we should do for dinner?"

Hakuno opened her mouth to answer-

"!"

_The air turned heavy. Dread crept up her back while cold steel pressed up against her throat. Something seized her lungs. It became hard to breathe. Her Servant, sensing danger, stood in front of her protectively with sword/swords/charms in hand, eyes set on the approaching foe._

"Hakuno-chan? What's wro-"

She tackled him to the ground. Just in time, as the spot where they once stood was obliterated. Chunks of asphalt and concrete were sent flying into the air. A decent-sized crater sat in the ground, steam rising off of it. Sougo groaned and sat up and questioned why she suddenly did that before noticing the crater. He couldn't have sensed what she did. Not when she had felt this feeling more times than she would have liked.

An enemy had appeared. She searched and soon found it, only to recoil in horror.

_Monster. Aberration. Danger. A disease to time itself. A virus. **PARASITE**._

"Wh-what the hell is that?!" Sougo exclaimed.

At the mouth of the tunnel stood a white humanoid creature. Its body was covered in a myriad of bottles, each of a different color. Its eyes -least she assumed those were its eyes- were also made up of bottles. A mouth lined with teeth, jagged and serrated like a shark, was gaping open with their exhaling breath visible. Parts of its body were covered in black patches, all marked by geometric yellow lines. At either side were circular disks, sharp blades lining its curves.

The second she saw its body, Hakuno's instincts flared.

_She knew this presence. She could never mistake this feeling._

_A Servant was standing before her._

_'But something's wrong.'_ she soon realized. _'This Servant doesn't feel like the others... And, t-there's something else... But what? What is this monstrosity?!'_

The monster growled as it spoke, voice distorted. There were two male voices speaking at once, one speaking with cold logic and the other bearing the voice of a kind man. It brought a chilling dissonance. **"I've foUNd yOu..."**

Hakuno froze.

_It was looking at her._

_It was after HER._

With a flick, it sent one of its sawblades at her. She quickly pulled herself out of the line of fire and let the sawblade shoot past her and into a building, slicing through the concrete wall and steel beams like butter before returning to its master. It readied another attack, but Sougo in misguided foolishness, threw himself at it.

"HAKUNO-CHAN! RUN!"

Hakuno stared in horror. What was he doing?! He should be the one running for his life?! Annoyed, the white monster grabbed Sougoand threw him aside. His body flew through the air and fell onto a trash can, the metal giving beneath him and crumpling. A testament to inertia and the power behind the throw. The poor boy slumped to the ground, groaning in pain.

"Sougo!"

She attempted to go after him, but another sawblade was sent her way as interception. She jumped back to avoid and turned her attention back to the warped Servant.

**"GivE iT to mE..."**

She glanced down at the ring on her fingers. Was this what it was after? The Servant advanced. She took a step back in fear.

In turn, the warped Servant roared. **"GIVE ME THE REGALIA!"**

It lunged. She shut her eyes and raised her arms in defense. The back of her hand burned.

Then something red appeared in front of her. A heavy object descended and stood before her in defense, blocking its advance. The blades cut through its armor, but it still functioned with intended purpose. It swung its arm, but found the Servant grabbing its fist with ease and throwing it behind it. Hakuno opened her eyes and found the machine landing back on the ground, the earth-shaking beneath her feet when it landed.

She stared at the machine in fascination. Was it just her imagination, or did its head look very much like the bizarre watch in Sougo's possession.

**"InterfERenCE..."** the warped Servant huffed in annoyance. **"How IrrITatiNG."**

Hakuno seized the opportunity. She would be a fool not to. She turned on her heel and grabbed a dazed Sougo, pulling him to his feet. She took him by the arm and ran off in a random direction, intending to get away from the ensuing carnage as fast as she could. She didn't dare look back, nor did she slow down. She pushed her legs as far as she could and ran as fast as she could, dragging Sougo as far away from the ensuing battle as she could.

She never noticed that her Command Seals were now glowing red, nor the dim light of the gemstone of the Regalia.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: And with this, the changes have begun.

Tid creating Another Rider based off Kamen Rider Build Genius Form, or rather his ability to create Another Riders based off of Riders' final forms in general, is in reference to how he became Another Kuuga Ultimate in the movie, Heisei Generations FOREVER. Thanks to Velber, however, he does not need a catalyst to force the evolution and instead makes a final form Anotherwatch right off the bat.

And to make matters worse, also thanks to Velber, the Another Riders are fused with Servants. In this case, Another Build Genius is a Pseudo-Servant variant of the Caster Servant Archimedes. Fitting, since Build is the smartest of the Heisei Kamen Riders and Archimedes is one of the greatest mathematicians and the leading scientist in antiquity.

Geiz coming in and saving Hakuno and Sougo's bacon is done because, as much as he wants to kill Sougo and would gladly let Another Build Genius do him in, he's not so heartless as to let an innocent bystander get killed in the crossfire.

That decision miiight come back to bite him when she sees who she summons, though...

* * *

**REVIEWS**:

Revamped Persona: Nope. She's summoning Oma Zi-O. Or rather, an alternate version of him. The dream sequence kind of gave it away. I will say this, though. The dynamic between Servant!Oma Zi-O and Sougo is going to be interesting.

Boyzilla: Yeah, until she summons-oh, wait. Can't say that. No spoilers for readers, right. Still, my point stands. While there will be slice-of-life moments, the intense shit she will get into is going to boggle the freaking mind.

Dracus6: Zi-O story has officially started. Expect an epic fight either next chapter or chapter after next. Not quite sure just yet.

Daemon of Crawling Tentacles: Yes, the guy with the book is Woz. As for Woz's view of her, he might view her as an aberration. At the very least, however, he'd have a good opinion about her since she encourages Sougo to pursue his dream of becoming a king. And maybe fanboy about her having summoned Oma Zi-O. Granted, it would be different from the one he knows about, but still.

gildas13579: Digital Human series generally places her around 14 to 15 years of age. For my Fate/VRAINS story, however, Hakuno is in her teenage years.

HackerEX: I'm debating whether or not to include Nero, if only just to see Sougo's reaction. "EH?! Nero Claudius was a woman?! How did history get that wrong?!" Ah, Nasuverse. Never change.

dsgundam00: No. Sougo cannot gain the powers of a Servant. Theoretically, it WOULD be possible for him to temporarily receive their powers, but that method doesn't exist in the timeline of Extra.

Akasha Bloodriver: No Gilgamesh. Namely because, unless I have Hakuno summon him as an Archer... You DO realize he'd kill Sougo the very second he would open his mouth about becoming a king, right?

DescendantY12: Good points. There would be a couple of Riders that could give Servants a good run for their money. Fun fact about Gaim: it was written by the Urobutcher. Who Nasu happens to be friends with. Hint hint.

Missingmoney: I think Tsukasa would be aware of Hakuno's status, and maybe regard her as someone like himself: someone who doesn't necessarily has a place he belongs to. And I agree with you on the Oma Zi-O part. He would easily qualify for a Grand Servant, or Top Servant at the very least. He can destroy, create and rewrite timelines for god's sake.

jmcdavid: Yes, she is. Thankfully, this Oma Zi-O is exactly what he aspired to be: a kind and benevolent demon king. Aaand expect a lot of drama that follows.


	5. TIME05

**DISCLAIMER**: I do not own Kamen Rider of Fate. Both belong to Toei and Nasu-sensei respectively.

* * *

**DIGITAL QUARTZER**

* * *

Hakuno felt her lungs burning. She didn't know how long they had been running, only that she was starting to lose all feeling in her legs. The world in front of her was moving past her so she was sure they were still running, but she didn't feel her legs moving at all.

"H-Hakuno-chan, slow down!" Sougo begged her, sounding pained and out of breath. "P-please! I can't...!"

She looked behind her. His face was pale and sweaty. He looked like he had just run a marathon. A quick look around her told her that they were very far away from the school. It looked like they were now in the city outskirts, given that she could see a small gathering of trees just past the buildings not too far away from her. She relinquished her grip and Sougo. The moment she did, she felt her legs give out from underneath her and fall to the ground. The teen followed after her, slumping up against the wall right next to her.

"What..." he swallowed, trying to catch his breath. "What _was_ that thing?"

It was a Servant. Warped and twisted, forged in a form she did not recognize, but she recognized the feeling. Even so, it felt different. It possessed the presence of a Servant, but it was something else entirely. But what was it? To that, Hakuno had no answer, save for one thing.

_It was after her_.

She glanced down at the ring - the Regalia that sat on her ring finger. The warped Servant demanded she relinquish it to them. But why? What made it so valuable?

More importantly, what was the mech that had arrived seemingly out of thin air? Its color reminded her of the warning the man with the book had given Sougo. Whatever it was, it had saved their lives. Yet, somehow, she doubted it could withstand that monster. It radiated power. And even if it felt different from the Servants she encountered, Hakuno knew that it would deal with the unexpected interference and chase after them.

Just what was happening?

"Kishinami-san?" Hakuno looked up. Tsukuyomi was standing in front of her, a quizzical expression on her face. "What are you doing, sitting on the floor?" she asked. Just as Hakuno was about to answer, the black-haired girl saw Sougo. Her eyes widened in recognition. "You're...Sougo Tokiwa..."

Sougo looked up. "Who are you? Actually, no. Wait. Forget that! You gotta help! T-there's a monster after us!"

"Monster?"

Hakuno stilled when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Her legs groaned in protest as she stood up. Sougo followed her line of sight and paled. There, the white monster approached, sawblades spinning rapidly as if in preparation to slice apart anything in front of it. Tsukuyomi's breath hitched. Hakuno saw that she recognized the creature, but at the same time looked confused. "B-Build?"

_Build?_

**"YoU won'T gEt awAY."** the warped Servant, Build, hissed as it raised its hand forward, aimed right at the three of them.

"T-that's it!" Sougo cried. "That's the monster! Crap! Did it bust up that giant mech?!"

"Wait, what? It fought Geiz?!" Tsukuyomi cried before she cursed. She pulled out something from her person. It resembled the bizarre item Sougo found on his bike seat, but the color was light gray instead of black. She pressed on the button on top of the watch.

[Time Mazine!]

Something appeared in front of them. It was another mech, armor the color of silver with a watch-shaped head bearing a glowing red eye. Its back opened up, revealing what looked like a seat and levers. Tsukuyomi quickly jumped inside and turned to the two of them. "Get in! Hurry!"

"What?! How did you-?!"

"There's no time! Just get in!"

Build roared and threw its sawblades at the machine. Hakuno was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. She grabbed Sougo's wrist and pulled him inside of the machine. Its back closed up, followed by the machine seemingly whirring to life. It shook and thrashed, causing Hakuno to struggle to keep herself from flailing. Sougo grabbed hold of one of the nearby metal pieces that made up its insides and held on for dear life. Tsukuyomi looked strained, her arms constantly moving from one spot to another while pulling on the levers.

The shaking continued for several minutes. With each passing second, Hakuno felt her senses start to warp. She cringed and clutched her head. It felt like something was tearing at her skull from within, tugging at her brain in multiple directions.

Finally, after who knows how long, the machine ceased to rumble. It made no further movements. Hakuno and Sougo looked at one another, wondering if it was safe and waited for more movement. They looked at Tsukuyomi, who breathed a heavy sigh of relief as she slumped in her chair. Slowly, they peeled themselves off the floor and walked up to her.

"Whew..."

"Um, t-thanks." Sougo thanked her sincerely. "For saving us, I mean."

The black-haired girl smiled back at him weakly. "No problem. So...care to tell me what the heck just happened?"

"If you want me to be honest, I have no idea. That thing just showed up out of nowhere and tried to kill us."

"You called it Build." Hakuno said. "Do you know what it is?"

Tsukuyomi frowned. "I do. At least, I'm positive I know what it is."

"Before that, what in the heck is this?" Sougo looked around the space they were in. It looked slightly bigger than the actual size of the mech they were currently inside of. It reminded him of that foreign show with the blue box.

"This is my Time Mazine." Tsukuyomi explained. "It's a time machine." The two stared at her, blinking. Hakuno wasn't entirely sure she heard her correctly. A time machine? As it, a man-made construct that was artificially inducing the Fifth Magic? That was possible?! "I suppose you two have a lot of questions." The two high school students nodded slowly. Tsukuyomi sucked in a breath. "In that case, follow me outside. It's best I show you."

"Show us what?"

"You'll see."

Hakuno frowned. Tuskuyomi had spoken in such a grim way, and her face was almost ashen. The cockpit of the Time Mazine opened up, allowing Tsukuyomi to step out. Sougo and Hakuno both shared a look of confusion, unsure of what exactly it was that the strange girl was going to show them. Especially since she had just told them she was in possession of a time machine. Regardless, they stepped out of the mech.

The second they did, they were greeted with despair.

"W-what in the...!"

The world before them was ruined. Countless buildings were either demolished outright or turned into mountains of rubble. The sky was dark and dreary, the sun nowhere in sight. The world looked as if all the warmth that made it thrive was sucked dry and reduced to a lifeless husk. The earth beneath them was little more than demolished asphalt. The air was also an odd mixture of freezing and unbearably warm. Stranger still, Hakuno found it hard to breathe. It was as if she was standing atop the peak of a mountain, where the air was at its most thin.

This didn't make any sense to her whatsoever. This place looked like it had been ravaged by war, but that couldn't be. They were in a city mere moments ago. Then she remembered what they were traveling in. Her next question was not where they were, but _when_ they were.

"What happened to this place?" Sougo asked, looking around in sadness. He saw not a trace of life anywhere. "This place... It looks the aftermath of a warzone."

"A warzone is putting it mildly..." Tsukuyomi said sadly, shaking her head. "This place was the sight of one a fierce battle between the Resistance and the Demon King." Sougo and Hakuno both stared at her in confusion. "We're in your hometown, Sougo. Or more accurately, what has become of it, fifty years in the future."

"F-fifty years?!" Sougo cried almost comically. "What in the hell happened?!"

Her face contorted, as if she swallowed a bitter pill. She took out something from beneath her cloak, a pad of some sort. "I think this can tell you better than I can." she said as she fiddled with it. After a few strokes with her fingers, she gave it to Hakuno. "This is a recording of a battle that took place not too long ago. The latest skirmish between the Resistance and the Demon King."

Hakuno took the device and held it in her hands. A recording was playing on it, showing an army of people marching forward with weapons in hand. They were all charging forward, giant metal machines trailing behind them - Time Mazines like the one Tsukuyomi piloted. As for their target...

_A man adorned in regal golden armor stood alone amidst of a desolate plane. A collection of statues stood behind him, armored-clad figures all adorning different poses with a eerily familiar young teenager in the center, striking his own pose with an oddly-shaped belt strapped to his waist. Power and terror exuded from this man like a waterfall, violent and massive. His very presence demanded that one kneel before him._

Her hand burned in irritation. Hakuno stared at the armored individual, recognizing him from her dream. However, whereas the armored man she saw in her dream was filled with sorrow, this one bore only an unyielding sense of terror. Together, she and Sougo watched as the army, the Resistance Tsukuyomi spoke of, charged fruitlessly against the regal figure.

And they watched as he effortlessly wiped them out. One by one. Hakuno watched, in morbid fascination, as he threw the machines about as if they were nothing. None of the missiles they fired his way could even so much as touch him as they were all blown away by some invisible force. Worse, the man had not moved from his position. He stood stationary, his hands more than enough to combat his enemy.

Then, all of a sudden, everything had stopped. Machines and missiles alike were frozen in mid-air. Even the explosions that occurred around him had ceased, still in the process of exuding fire and smoke and destructive force.

_"You could not possibly hope to defeat me."_

Sougo sucked in a breath. Hakuno had heard this voice before, yet somehow, it sounded more menacing than before.

_"Do you know why? It is because...**I was born to become king**."_

The video ended there. Hakuno stared at the still image, eyes trained on the armored figure's face. Or rather, the face of helm. The visor blood-red, shaped in the form of kanji.

"Kamen...Rider..." Hakuno read what was written off-handedly. What did that mean? Was there some sort of significance to that phrase?

For some reason, Sougo looked pale. He looked up at Tsukuyomi, hands shaking slightly. "Who..." he swallowed the lump in his throat. "Who is that?"

"That is the Demon King of Time who reigns over the world with an iron fist." Tsukuyomi replied, voice tight. "Oma Zi-O. Otherwise known...as Sougo Tokiwa." Hakuno choked. Sougo's eyes widened. "This is the person you will become in fifty years."

Hakuno stared at Sougo, then back at the image. Sougo, then back at the image.

"That..." Sougo started, shaking his head. "No, that... That can't be right. Y-you must be mistaken. That can't be me." He laughed. "You got the wrong guy. T-there's no way..." His laugh broke. Nervousness and fear settled in his eyes. He shook his head again in denial. "That can't be me. There-there's no way that's me...!"

Tsukuyomi closed her eyes. "Sougo Tokiwa. Age, 18. A third-year student at Hikarigamori high school. You excel at history, but you are lackluster in other subjects. When you were eight years old, you lost your parents in a bus crash. Around that time, you suddenly developed a desire to become king." Sougo's eyes widened at these facts. "This information is well-recorded. I know it is a lot to take in, however... This is the truth. And it is also why I came to 2018."

"Why?" Hakuno inquired. "Did you come to kill Sougo?"

The male teen paled at this and backpedaled away from Tsukuyomi. The latter didn't look offended by the accusation. Instead, she shook her head. "No. I simply came to determine for myself whether or not Sougo Tokiwa is Oma Zi-O. And if he does, I wish to stop it. I won't lie. There are many in the Resistance who do support the idea of assassinating Sougo Tokiwa before he became Oma Zi-O. I, however, was against the idea. He cannot be held responsible for something he has yet to do."

Hakuno stared at her intensely. Tsukuyomi grew uncomfortable, subject to her gaze. If her stare from their first meeting had been intense, then this one was like being underneath a waterfall. She almost buckled from the pressure. How could someone just express their emotions so strongly like this? After a moment, Hakuno's stare lessened and nodded in acceptance. She saw no lies or deceit. She spoke the truth. She spoke not a lick of deceit.

_But..._

Hakuno looked at Sougo, who stared at the ground, his face shifting between disbelief, horror and shock.

_What does that mean about Sougo's dream?_

* * *

TIME05: A Genius Encounter, Part II

* * *

At the same time Sougo experienced an internal crisis, someone in the same time as them experienced an usual feeling.

It was subtle, at first. For the first few days, he had felt small, unnoticeable ripples. A change was occurring. What, he could not say, nor did he care much for it. But as the days passed, the feeling grew stronger. Now, there was no way he could just ignore it or dismiss it. The world itself was answering to his questions as he felt time diverge.

A new path was being created.

The old man cracked a smile. "How interesting." he remarked as he gazed into this new possibility. There, a white-haired youth stared back at him, as if in response to his inquiry. Such a feat should not be possible, for who could gaze back at one who held time as his sole mistress? And yet, there it was. One such impossiblity had sensed his intrusion and looked back, capable of answering his own ability. The old man's smile grew when he saw the youth's face.

The same as one other young man he knew.

"How did this come about, I wonder?"

* * *

"I'm...a Demon King...?"

Sougo stared at the ground, his mind caught in a whirlwind. On the one hand, his heart was leaping with joy. The dream that people had mocked and dismissed, all save for one girl, was within his reach. More than that, he had achieved it. And on the other hand, what kind of king he had become had shocked him to his core.

A Demon King. Just like Oda Nobunaga, the man who had unified Japan. But he was far worse than the infamous warlord. The state of the world around him was testament and proof of that. This devastation was not recent. No, this had all happened long ago. So very long ago. That meant the state of this world had been long this for a while now. Just how long had he ruled over this world like a tyrant?

Was this what was in store for his future? Was he going to ruin this world?

Was this how he was going to be king?

"Sougo?"

He didn't hear her at first. It wasn't until she tugged at his sleeve that he saw how concerned Hakuno looked. Her eyes looked at him with worry. He couldn't bring himself to look at her.

Not when she was the first person to believe he could be king.

_"You're destined to become king, and save this world."_

Those were the words spoken to him in his dream. He could still remember that dream. Giant monstrous machines, leveling a whole city and killing everyone in sight. It was a day of catastrophe that he was meant to stop.

He clenched his jaw. His hands tightened and balled into fists, nails breaking through skin.

_'Is this it?'_ he thought angrily. _'THIS is how I save the world?! By becoming a tyrant?!'_

"I thought you'd come here, Zi-O."

Sougo stilled. He turned around and found a young man approaching him. He looked to be around the same age as him, but there was not a hint of youthful innocence. There was only cold, steel-hearted determination. His eyes were like ice and that of a hawk, narrowed and locked on to their pray.

This would be his executioner.

* * *

"Geiz...!"

The second Tsukuyomi spoke his name, Hakuno realized what she was feeling from this person. It was killing intent. A heavily-ruined and mauled red machine, the same one that had saved hers and Sougo's life from Build, stood behind him. He had just exited the machine, completely unnoticed by any of them until he had spoken. He was no older than Sougo, but she could only see the face of a truly determined man in pursuit of his goal.

_He wore the face of countless Masters she had seen and fought before._

Sougo stared at Geiz in confusion. "Wh-who are you...?"

"Who I am is no importance to you." Geiz replied coldly. He approached, footsteps heavy and filled with purpose. It was then that Hakuno took notice of the belt wrapped around his waist. A strange contraption with an odd white buckle, shaped after the face of a digital watch, with a slot on either side. In his hand was the same kind of watch that Sougo had, except colored red and with a faceplate of some sort on it. "Tell me, how does the future look to you? The future you'll create?"

"Enough, Geiz!" Tsukuyomi stood in front of Sougo, as if coming to his defense. "You can't blame him for this! This isn't fair to him! You can't hold him responsible for something he hasn't done!"

"Yet." Geiz shot back, his footsteps never faltering. "And who's to say he won't walk down this path? You and I both know this has to be done, Tsukuyomi. Move."

"No, I will not!" Tsukuyomi remained firmly where she was.

Geiz's face hardened. "Stand. Aside."

"No!"

"Dammit, Tsukuyomi! Don't make this harder than it has to be! This has to be done!"

"By killing an innocent teenager?!"

"...ong..."

Hakuno looked at Sougo. His teeth were clenched, eyes shut. He cradled his head in his hands, shaking his head rapidly as if in denial. "You're wrong. I can't... There's no way. I-I swore I'd be a good king. A king who could protect people! This... This isn't right!"

Geiz glared at Sougo. "Whether you do or don't believe it is none of my concern, Zi-O. If our future scares you so much, then stand still. I can at least make sure your death is quick and painless."

He raised the hand holding the watch, twisting the faceplate. Just as he placed his thumb on the button, time and space began to twist.

Hakuno hissed, once more feeling the Command Seals on the back of her hand burn, as if reacting to something.

In the next second, a spinning sawblade was sent her way. When she saw it coming toward her, she pushed Sougo to the ground and followed after him. The blade just barely missed her and flew past her, slicing straight through a dilapidated building.

"What?!"

All attention turned to the culprit. There stood the white monstrosity, a twisted mockery of both Servant and hero.

**"YoU won'T esCApe fROm mE, InheRIToR."** Build hissed as it recalled its sawblade. **"NoT evEN thE floW Of tIME cAN hidE yOU frOm mE!"**

Geiz gritted his teeth. "Tch! This damned thing again!" As much as he wanted to kill Sougo, he knew that this thing was targeting that girl with him. For now, he would put his plans on hold. He would not allow an innocent life to be killed before him. Not when he witnessed so much of it already. "Stop getting in my way!"

He pressed down on the button of the watch. A moment later, it reacted.

[**GEIZ**]

Hakuno cringed and put a hand to her temple. She felt a sudden burst of power release from Geiz's body, right as he pushed the button. She was not sure if others could see it, but she could see ripples dancing around his body. It pushed back against the forces that opposed it, as if rejecting time itself. Geiz slipped the watch into the slot. Behind him, a spinning wheel formed. Gears and bits of machinery clicked into place, forming into a giant watch. His hand balled into a fist, striking the button on top of the buckle. The buckle shifted, its position becoming diagonal before his hands moved in a circular motion and grabbed hold of the edges of the buckle.

"Henshin!"

He pulled and spun the buckle. Another burst of power released before the clock expanded and blew apart into pieces, flying off and onto his body, forming into armor. His body was now clad in red armor, ax held firmly in hand. Over his faceplate was a yellow visor, written in katakana.

"Kamen..." Hakuno read, frowning. "Rider?"

[**KAMEN RID~ER GEIZ!**]

Build growled. **"You ARen'T woRtH mY tIMe."** he dismissed the now red-clad warrior before sending a spinning sawblade his way. Geiz dodged out of the way, evading it before charging straight at the warped Servant, swinging its ax behind him. It caught the blade easily and retaliated by punching him straight in the face-plate, sending him flying through the air and into a pile of rubble. To ensure that Geiz was finished, it sent another sawblade straight at him. To his credit, Geiz managed to recover and rolled out of the way, shaking off the force of the hit before charging in again.

"Stop, Geiz!" Tsukuyomi cried in worry. "You don't stand a chance! Look at that thing! You realize what form its mimicking, right?!"

"So what?!" Geiz shouted back. "Even if it looks like Kamen Rider Build, there's no way it can stand up to the original!"

**"WhaT fooLisHneSS."** Build scoffed. **"I caNNoT eqUAl hiM? NaIVe. I _suRPaSs_ SenTO KiryU iN evERy wAY!"**

It brought its hands together. In unison, both sawblades flew and aimed to bisect Geiz from his hips, coming at him from either side. With no time to dodge, Geiz attempted to block the attack with his ax. He couldn't push back against the other opposing sawblade and find it blowing straight through him, tearing through his shoulder while the other struck him at the backside. He stumbled and struck the ground. When he attempted to stand up, the sawblades paused in their movements.

With their blades now still, Hakuno saw that they were not sawblades. They were _cogs_. They expanded in width before a pair of black-and-yellow arms sprouted, towering limbs armed with their own blades. Without a chance to properly defend himself, the gigantic blades came crashing down upon him without mercy.

"Geiz!"

Geiz's body tore through the ground like a rag doll, bouncing and tumbling before he eventually managed to regain his balance, grinding himself to a halt with fingers digging into the earth. Beneath his helm, Hakuno could hear him pant heavily.

Hakuno's hands shook. This was bad. Very bad. Even if the armor and the way it formed was odd, created by a burst of time that rejected the world, it couldn't withstand the sheer power this Servant possessed. She could tell Geiz was strong, but against this monster? He may as well have been trying to sign his own death warrant.

He needed to run. _They_ needed to run. They needed to flee. Escape!

Build recalled the spinning cogs to his side before placing his hands against their sides. The bottles sprouting from his body glowed as their light flowed into the cogs. They began to pulsate with power. Hakuno immediately knew what it was intending to do. It intended to finish Geiz off where it stood. It didn't wish to waste any time dealing with him. It was focused on her, and it would eliminate any distractions before it with all due haste. The mockery then raised his hands up into the air, the cogs following the motion and shooting up high in the air, as if about to descend upon the unfortunate fellow like a guillotine.

_'Move.'_ Hakuno's mind screamed at her. _'Move. You need to move. Just get out of here.'_

But she couldn't. Her eyes were trained on Geiz, who futilely glared back at the warped Servant in defiance, ax raised as if ready to fight back. He was but an ant fighting a mountain. How could he hope to overcome such a challenge? He would surely die.

_-a boy screamed as he pounded against the dividing wall, tears and mucus running down his face as he screamed at her to save him-_

Hakuno's hand trembled. She bit her lower lip.

_-a girl smiled, eyes dripping with tears of happiness for the first time in so long, body breaking down right before her eyes even as she tried to tear down the wall in front of her-_

Build brought his hand down. The cogs fell, aimed to kill.

_-a man with a cold heart looked at her curiously as tears fell from her face, holding his hand and making him feel something for the first time in years-_

Her body spurned into action before her brain realized what it was doing. "Hakuno-chan!" Sougo cried in panic. "What're you-?!"

"Code Cast-!"

**[EXTERNAL THREAT TO DESIGNATED INHERITOR DETECTED. HOSTILE CONFIRMED TO BE INFECTED WITH VELBER CELLS.]**

**[INPUT RECEIVED. CREATING TEMPORARY LINK TO SERAPH SPIRITRON COMPOSITES. TEMPORARILY RAISING PRANA OUTPUT.]**

"-Hack!"

A burst of electrical power, far stronger than any she had done previously, exploded from her hand. The Regalia glimmered with bright light, almost as if reacting the activation. Her od surged through her body as the power was expelled. The cogs clashed, battling for supremacy before the spinning cogs were blown away. A shockwave followed afterwards and threw Hakuno into Geiz, who caught her in his arms. He too was caught in the backlash of the clashing powers, but he managed to stay upright and hold his ground.

Build paused at this action. Its expression didn't change, but Hakuno was sure it was baffled by what just occurred. **"HoW? I infUSeD aT leaST siX diffEREnT fUllBOttLe essENCeS inTO thE blADEs. HoW waS ShE aBLe tO...?"** It trailed off, a metaphorical light bulb flashing above its head. Then he chuckled. **"I sEe... ThE reGAliA. It RECognIZeD the VelBEr CeLLs anD boOstEd heR PrANa ouTpuT tO enHANcE heR CodE CAsT. HoW fASCinATiNg."**

"You..." Geiz stared at the girl in shock. Not that she could tell behind his helmet. "How did you...?"

Hakuno grimaced. She had almost forgotten how it felt to use a Code Cast. Her body felt warm, no doubt from her magic circuits suddenly flaring to life. Even so, she had not expected the power behind her Code Cast to be so powerful. Was it because of the Regalia? Its gemstone was still glowing brilliantly.

**"EveN So...!"**

There was no time to celebrate. Build was not about to let her escape or pull off another miracle. It instead recalled its cogs to its sides. Its whole body became engulfed in a myriad of lights. The cogs grew in size, expanding and increasing until they matched the size of wrecking balls, spinning at dangerous speeds. If they did not slice up their targets, then they should surely be grounded into dust first before being sliced into bits.

_[ReADY, Go! ! G-G-GEni-I-I-IuS F-F-FiniSH!]_

The cogs began to move at high speeds, darting all over the place in ways that should not have been possible for their size. Hakuno knew what was coming. She would not allow it.

_If she could still use Code Casts, then perhaps it was possible...!_

**[REGALIA ACTIVATION DETECTED.]**

**[REQUEST FOR SERVANT SUMMONING RECEIVED.]**

**[SEARCHING...]**

Her Command Seals began to flash radiantly. Seeing this, Build grew flustered. She was trying to summon a Servant? While he was confidant he could crush whatever she threw its way, he could not leave it up to chance. She must be eliminated before she could summon a problematic variable. With that in mind, he twisted his hand and aimed to crush her and that red eyesore in the blink of an eye.

**[CATALYST DETECTED. QUEUING SUMMON MATRIX.]**

**[SUMMON MATRIX ACTIVATED.]**

**[INITATING SPIRITRON SUMMON.]**

Hakuno shut her eyes. Sougo tried to run over and pull them away while Tsukuyomi remained rooted in horror, unable to move. The cogs came flying down.

The Command Seals burned bright crimson.

* * *

Swartz's eyes widened to the point where they threatened to pop out from his sockets. "Impossible!"

Tid laughed. It seemed the girl had just found the winning formula after all...

* * *

The old man laughed. "How interesting! So this is the root of this new possibility. Yes... I believe this shall be quite intriguing to see. Let us see what new path will come from this."

* * *

The cogs came crashing down. By all rights, Hakuno and Geiz should be dead.

What saved them, however, was a burst of _primal power. Time bent the knee and bowed its head before its absolute ruler, and the world welcomed his arrival._

[**HALLOWING OF TIME!**]

An explosion of aura, raging gold and black that washed over the whole area like an ocean consuming an entire country in a single gulp. Her magical circuits strained to withstand the sudden drain of power. Even with the Regalia bolstering her reserves, Hakuno felt like her whole body had just been lit aflame as she stared at the source behind this sudden explosion of power. Faintly, beneath the roaring waves, she could make out a young man with his back turned to her, hair white and gray hoodie flapping from the lashing winds.

[**THE MOST GREATEST! MOST RIGHTEOUS! MOST PROMINENT! MOST POWERFUL KING!**]

[**OMA Zi-O!**]

The wave of power subsided. And there, the Servant of Hakuno Kishinami stood before her, back turned to her.

"So, you're my Master..."

He craned his head, looking over his shoulder.

Sougo's face paled. Tsukuyomi trembled. Geiz seethed beneath his armor, his grip on Hakuno tightening unintentionally. The girl herself just sat there, staring at her Servant and blinking.

"Servant Alter Ego. The Demon King of Time. Tokiwa, Sougo." Oma Zi-O introduced himself to her. "It'll be a pleasure working with you."

* * *

_The flow of time has been irrevocably changed._

_The river stream has found a new course._

_A new ocean has been created._

_The moon begins to shine brilliantly, as a new history is made._

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: No words must be said. Instead, bask in this moment.

All hail the King of Time.

* * *

**REVIEWS**:

TheOkWriter: He did, but Shingo was the catalyst he needed to become Another Kuuga Ultimate. With Velber giving him a boost of power, he doesn't need a catalyst like Shingo to create Another Riders based on Riders' Final Forms.

Dracus6: I have put forward a file of abuse on your account. I must insist that you please stop sending me ideas. Reviews are meant for people to express their thoughts on the story they are reading or give constructive criticism. If you wish to send ideas, please do so via PM. If you do not stop, I will file another abuse towards your account.

merendinoemiliano: Glad you are enjoying the story so far. As you can see, though, Sougo will be gaining the power of Zi-O later down the line. Not too late, mind you, but within the next couple of chapters.

Hakuryukou79: I actually liked Cross-ZBuild form, to be honest. I just wish it could have showed up again in a way other than RabbitDragon. Zero-One does indeed exist in Servant!Sougo's timeline.

Guest #2: Yeah. The fight was short, sure, but it also gives a very brief glimpse to how powerful a Pseudo-Servant Another Rider, especially one in their Final Form, can be. That's not to say they will all be difficult. It is possible for Sougo and Geiz to beat them, but this would require both strategic planning and coordination, as well as Hakuno backing them up with Code Casts. To simplify it: Basically imagine going in to a final boss fight at low level with adequate weaponry, and the only way you are going to win is with a shit ton of luck and strategy.

Celian Cogitore: I dare say even the Tsukumihara Academy uniform, as well as the alternate uniform in CCC, are put to shame in the standard sailor fuku. And yes, Luvia is here.

gildas13579: Not really. The relationship between Servant!Sougo and Zi-O!Sougo isn't going to be as hostile as EMIYA and Shirou's relationship, considering that Servant!Sougo is living proof that Sougo's ideal of becoming a benevolent Demon King is possible. And Zi-O Oma Form is a bit early at this stage. Rather, Sougo will be gaining Ridewatches in a different manner than in the show, courtesy of both Hakuno and Servant!Sougo.

Revamped Persona: I'd say Sougo and Woz would both be ectastic. One because his alternate self is living proof that he can indeed become a benevolent Demon King, and the other because, well, it's Oma Zi-O. An alternate version, but still the same Demon King he swore his services to. Geiz is...yeah, he's gonna have a hard time wrapping his head around this while constantly trying to either kill Servant!Sougo or possibly even Hakuno, the person he calls "Master." Tsukuyomi, on the other hand, can see and understand that this is an entirely different Oma Zi-O than the one she knows and will try to understand him. And yes, this Oma Zi-O is from the end of the TV series, but chose to keep his powers and follow through on his promise, in remembrance of his friends. As for the original Oma...well, safe to say he's intrigued and would love to have a talk with his alternate self at some point, but for the most part, he wants to see where this all goes.

HackerEX: Close. This is an alternate version of Sougo who chose to instead keep the power of Oma Zi-O, but did undo the damages Swartz caused to the different Rider timelines. His world is still merged with all the others, but he is a kind-hearted and benevolent Demon King, just as he promised he would in honor of his fallen friends. He wanted to make sure their sacrifices actually meant something.

jmcdavid: This is an entirely different version of Luvia. I'll show more of her off later, as well as her importance later down the line. And to answer your questions, Sougo manages to keep his powers as Zi-O for a few reasons. The major one being that Servant!Sougo hails from an alternate timeline, and while ultimately the same power just made intensively stronger, wields the power of **Oma Zi-O**, not Kamen Rider Zi-O. The other important reason is that Servant!Sougo has a hand in Sougo obtaining his powers as Kamen Rider Zi-O in this new timeline that Hakuno has inadvertently created. As for getting a glimpse of Servant!Sougo's timeline, Hakuno will see it via the Dream Cycle, but the others will have to learn more about the other Oma Zi-O's history for themselves.

Daemon of Crawling Tentacles: She should be made into her own figurative Holy Maiden at this point. XD Viva la Hakunon!

Boyzilla: She certainly did now, with the Regalia giving it a boost.

DescendantY12: Sougo and co. can defeat the Another Rider Final Forms, even when they're using just the standard Base Form Ridewatches. They are, after all, derived from the same Rider. In this case, however, they have to work A LOT HARDER to take down the Another Riders for obvious reasons. As for Tid and the Time Jackers' overall plans in response for the surprise appearance of another Oma Zi-O, that will be explained very shortly.

Akasha Bloodriver: Which Nobunaga, though? No matter which she summons, though, Sougo will still be shocked by the fact that Nobunaga, or at least the Nobu from her world, was actually a woman. And I wanted to try something different, since I have a bit more leeway thanks to this being a spin-off. Granted, I don't remember Luvia ever being mentioned if at all in the Extra games, but I figure she could serve as an excellent answer to Rin.

Missingmoney: Yep. Even as a Servant, where his powers are limited, he's still utterly broken. I would put him on par with Gilgamesh...AT LEAST. And no, Servant!Sougo and Zi-O!Sougo's interactions will be different from Lord El-Melloi II and Waver's, nor will it be like EMIYA and Shirou's.

Rodvek97: Romance is not my strongsuit in any of my fics, therefore there are no romantic subtexts. Luvia is not interested in Sougo romantically.

Guest (GuestStar): Servant!Sougo is exempt from this rule, namely because, well, he is a Servant. That, and he does not apply to the same rules that affect other Riders. Especially since, as his Servant class suggests, he is different from Kamen Rider Zi-O.


	6. TIME06

**DISCLAIMER**: I do not own Kamen Rider or Fate/Extra. Both are properties of Toei and Nasu-sensei respectively.

* * *

"_Build."_

_In the dictionary, the word refers to the process of constructing and creating parts and materials within a period of time._

_In one world, where Japan had been divided by a series of walls, there was a man who weaponized this concept by merging the powers of items bearing the properties of organic and inorganic items._

_A hero who fought for justice, even if he himself was a "fake" hero._

_The name of that hero is Sento Kiryu._

_Kamen Rider Build._

_Now then…_

_Shall we start the experiment?_

* * *

**DIGITAL QUARTZER**

* * *

Oma Zi-O. Demon King. Ruler of Time.

There were numerous titles and names the golden tyrant went by, but some did any that did justice to his accomplishments. It was widely unknown exactly what caused Sougo Tokiwa to become Oma Zi-O or why he chose to pursue that ideal, but regardless of the "how" and "what ifs", there was one singular fact. That a measly high-schooler with foolish dreams had become one of the greatest dictators in history, and one of the most dangerous individuals to ever exist.

He did not help humanity in any way, nor had he ever come to their defense. Rather, whatever threats existed, they always came to him. To the reasonings of invaders and monsters, the Demon King was their greatest threat to their plans and sought to eliminate him and make their lives easier. But they had always underestimated him. No matter how powerful they were, no matter how many they threw at him, he stood alone as the proud victor of every conflict.

And yet, there he stood. Standing between them and the twisted mockery that was Kamen Rider Build, as if defending them from it. Tsukuyomi stared at him, slack-jawed and shaking on the spot. Beside her, the younger self of Oma Zi-O, Sougo Tokiwa, had gone deathly pale and looked ready to bolt at a moment's notice. Not that she blamed him. The sheer amount of power that was radiating from him was suffocating. She had dealt with it all her life since she joined the Resistance, but Sougo had never experienced anything like this. She didn't want to imagine what it must be like for Hakuno, who was the closest to that golden monster.

Unknown to Tsukuyomi, however, she was less bothered by the sheer amount of strength Oma Zi-O was exterting, and more concerned by the fact that her mana was being eaten up at an insane rate.

_So much… If it wasn't for the Regalia, I'd have run dry by now. Just how powerful is he…?_

She stared at the person in front of her. The Servant who had answered her call. She stared at the blood red visor written in kanji, unsure of what she should say after he had introduced herself. Before she could find a response, she saw blades coming straight for them.

"Look out!"

Alter Ego moved. Slowly, and in a movement that showed he was more relaxed than tense. With a mere backhand, he had sent the incoming sawblades flying away from him and into another building. The force behind the impact caused the building to crack apart, crumbling and falling into a pile of dust and rubble. It broke easily, considering it had already been in a state of disrepair.

"…hey." Alter Ego addressed the twisted incarnation of Build. "Would you mind holding off for a second? I'm talking with someone over here."

"**YoU dare TuRn YoUr BaCK tO mE?"** Build snarled. **"YoU muST haVE a deATH wiSH!"**

The sawblades tore through the rubble, returning to the white creature's side before once again throwing it at Alter Ego. He knocked them away with ease again before he turned to Hakuno and Geiz. "Gimme a sec. I have an annoying cheap knockoff to deal with."

In the next second, faster than she had seen any Servant move before, Alter Ego moved straight behind Build before it had a chance to call its weapons back. With a single kick, it was thrown aside and sent straight into the dirt, tearing through concrete in its flailing state before it regained its senses and leaped out of its path and back up to its feet. Its vision was swimming as it tried to shake off the dizziness, but quickly found itself again when Alter Ego delivered an upper-cut, knocking it into the air before kicking it once more. This time, Build was sent smashing through several buildings and leaving behind holes before it crashed into the ground, forming a tiny crater underneath its body.

Leisurely, Alter Ego approached Build as it clamored and crawled frantically out of its hole and back up to its feet, staggering. He was about to strike again, but paused when he saw the black blotches spread across its body, mending the cracked armor and open wounds on its body. Immediately, thanks to his connection to the Moon Cell, he recognized the stains for what they were and grew troubled. "So, that's Velber... Still, you feel like a Servant. Which one are you?" he asked. Build howled at him and called on the sawblade to attack him from behind. Alter Ego stepped to the side and avoided it. The blade returned to the monstrous Rider and danced at its side. "Now, that wasn't nice."

**"ShuT uP!"**

The weight of his blows were staggering and brutal. It knew that it stood no chance against the summoned Servant, even with Velber mending and increasing its parameters. Logically, facing Alter Ego was suicide. Therefore, it decided on a new approach. A Servant was only as good as its Master. With this much power at Alter Ego's disposal, Hakuno Kishinami must have been expended a great deal of mana to keep his existence anchored. Even with the Regalia bolstering her reserves. In which case, logically, the ideal situation would be to get rid of her.

Build growled as it placed its hands against its sawblades. The pipes and bottles on its body glowed, energy flowing through its body before being injected into the sawblades, which promptly began to increase in size and speed up.

[_A-A-ALL S-S-S-SidES! R-ReaDY, GO! G-G-G-GenI-I-I-IuS F-F-FinISh!_]

With one last desperate attack, Build threw its sawblades. The air itself was torn apart and anything remotely close to the blades were ripped to shreds just from the force at which the sawblades were spinning. They flew straight past Alter Ego and went right at Hakuno and the others. The girl's eyes widened and shut her eyes, not wanting to see the end and hoping that her death would at least come quick. However, the end did not come.

She opened her eyes and gasped. Hakuno stared at her Servant in wonder, for he stood before her fully with both arms outstretched, blocking the sawblades with his bare hands alone.

**"ImpOSSibLE!"** Build roared in disbelief. **"H-HoW?!"**

"Sorry about that." Alter Ego apologized to the group. Tsukuyomi choked and stared at him incredulously before he threw the sawblades up into the air. At Build's command, they came straight back down, but Alter Ego was faster. He jumped up and swung his leg. They shattered to pieces like glass, fragments flying through the air and hitting the ground like meteors.

Hakuno opened her mouth to say something, but winced and clutched her chest. Her body felt like it was burning. She struggled to keep supplying Alter Ego with mana, but she was beginning to run on empty. _He's only been fighting for maybe a minute at best, and I'm already running low?_

What kind of monster had she summoned?

Alter Ego, noticing that his Master was running dry, decided that he should probably stop fooling around. He took the opportunity to stretch his legs and see what he could do, seeing as how he had been summoned in a body he was unfamiliar with. Not only that, he felt weaker. Still strong enough to knock that cheap Another Build knockoff around like the rag paper doll he was, but just enough for him to notice. After all, had this been him at full strength, he could have defeated it with a single attack. Seeing this, he tested the waters to see how strong he was without going out fully.

Unfortunately, Hakuno didn't have the reserves to keep up, even with the Regalia. That would have to change, if he was going to be protecting her. Sure, he could fight pretty well without his armor, and he had his Ridewatches to help out, and perhaps don his old armors if he was going to hold back, but he didn't prefer beating on weaklings with an unfair advantage.

It was fun while it lasted, though. He turned to Build and swung his arms, touching the sides of the buckle.

[**BUILD TIME**!]

Equations and mathematic symbols tore through the area, entrapping Build. Some even skewered through the limbs and trapped it in place. It screamed in pain and tried to fight back, the Velber Cells attempting to destroy the bindings but to no avail. It looked back at Alter Ego fearfully as a dark aura began to swell around it, visor glowing. He leaped up into the air, followed by a series of kanji that shot past him and struck it dead on, burning through the Velber Cells and tearing away at its own body, burning holes in the armor and weakening it.

_'This can't be!'_ Another Build, or rather the Caster-class Servant Archimedes. _'How is this possible?! Even with Velber, I...!'_

The sound of a bell rung, echoing Another Build Genius' death knell.

[**VORTEX FINISH**!]

Alter Ego struck, flying through the air and smashing through the walls of equations, the shards burying themselves into Build before the kick connected. In the next second, an explosion of gold-and-black enveloped the area. The ground broke apart from the intensity of the explosion, followed by a shockwave that knocked Tsukuyomi and Sougo off their foot and down to the ground. Geiz maintained his hold on Hakuno, but then moved in front of her, arm held protectively over her with ax in hand. She could tell his hand was shaking.

The strain on her body vanished, indicating that Alter Ego had ceased demanding mana from her much to her relief. Still, she never knew he had so much power.

_And to think, that was who Sougo would become. Or was it a "possibility" of who he could be?_

A figure emerged from the smoke that enveloped the crater. A youth bearing the same face as Sougo, not that of an old man, but their eyes were sharper and aged with experience. His skin was snow white, and his eyes molten gold. A gray hoodie sat over a black shirt with faded pants and loafers. He approached the group with a faint smile, though Hakuno saw how his eyes stared at Geiz and Tsukuyomi longingly before turning her attention to Hakuno herself.

"Sorry about that. I didn't realize I was draining you. No offense, Master, but you don't have a lot of stamina, do you?" Hakuno shook her head. Alter Ego smiled wistfully. "Ah, well. Whatever. Anyway, nice to meet you."

"Y-you..." Geiz shook with anger. "Why are you here?!"

"Yo, Geiz." Alter Ego greeted, shocking the red-armored Kamen Rider. Hakuno supposed that Oma Zi-O probably never bothered to learn his name or didn't even know who he was, but the fact that Alter Ego did was shocking.

Sougo, still shaken by what just happened, looked at his double fearfully. "Y-you're...Oma Zi-O?"

"Yep. Demon King of Time, and everything that comes with the title. But call me Alter Ego. Or hell, Tokiwa. Whichever suits your fancy." Alter Ego shrugged. "So... Can somebody tell me why I just got done blowing Another Build that was using Genius Form to high heaven?"

Ooh boy. Where did Hakuno even want to begin...?

* * *

TIME06: The Man called Sougo Tokiwa

* * *

The group had now taken refuge inside what appeared to be the remains of 95Do. It was disheartening and perhaps a little sombering to see what had become of Junichiro's shop and home, especially when Hakuno thought about the memories that the Tokiwa family must have had. Off to the side, she saw Sougo holding a photograph that somehow managed to remain undamaged, though dust now caked the partially shattered glass shielding the photograph. She couldn't see what it was, but judging from the sadness in his eyes, she could only assume it was his family from when they were alive.

She then turned back to Alter Ego, who was being eyed with both suspicion and hostility by Tsukuyomi and Geiz respectively. She had informed him about what she knew, both how she encountered Tsukuyomi and Geiz to how they ended up in 2068. He seemed quite understanding and accepted what she had told him, his expression rarely changing.

"I see..." Alter Ego sighed as he scratched the back of his head. "This makes my first run-in with Another Rider sound like cake walk."

"Another Rider?" Tsukuyomi asked with a troubled expression. "You know what that thing was?"

"Yeah. They're more or less corrupted Kamen Riders who steal the histories of the Riders they're based on, assuming they're created in the same year as when the Rider first appeared. The only thing that can destroy them is a Rider whose power is the same as theirs. For example, ordinarily, only Kamen Rider Build or any variation of Build can destroy Another Build. There are some exceptions, of course. For me, I was able to destroy it because I was using Build's powers...as well as several others, but that's beside the point."

Alter Ego grimaced. "But, Another Riders generally only adopt the base form of a Kamen Rider. It takes a lot of power for them to assume a variant of a Rider's powers, and a hell of a lot of mojo to even have them adopt the Final Form variant."

Sougo set the photograph back down and looked at Alter Ego. "...can I ask a question?"

"Sure. Fire away."

"...you're really Oma Zi-O?" Hakuno looked at Sougo sadly, seeing his pitiful face. "Who I'm...supposed to become?"

Alter Ego stared at Sougo for a moment, then sighed and made a gesture with his hand. "Like I said before. I'm Tokiwa, Sougo. The Demon King of Time. Or, more accurately, I'm a "possibility" of who you'll be." Sougo and the others stared at him curiously. "Let me summarize it for you. Have you ever heard of the Multiverse Theory? Or perhaps alternate timelines? Well, I'm from a timeline in which I already dealt with the Another Riders. Met Geiz and Tsukuyomi, got told the same thing. That I was going to be the man who ruled over the world with an iron fist and crushed any who dared to oppose me."

Geiz scoffed. "And from the looks of it, Tsukuyomi's words fell on deaf ears." And from the sour look on his face, Hakuno believed that Geiz was angry that he was unable to defeat Sougo and prevent his future from happening.

At this, though, Alter Ego laughed. "Oh no, far from it! See, when Tsukuyomi-chan-" The girl spluttered and stared at him, cheeks tinted red. "-told me that I was gonna be a evil king, I decided that I'd be a _good_ demon king. A kind and benevolent Demon King who protected his subjects." Sougo's eyes lit up at this. A small fire had been kindled in his eyes and whispered something to himself, though Hakuno didn't catch what it was. "And I succeed. By the time 2068 rolled around, cities weren't piles of rubble and I was living comfortably as an old man, though whenever trouble brewed I dealt with the problem. You think my Class as Alter Ego is for show? I am, quite literally, the opposite of Oma Zi-O in every way."

"And I'm supposed to believe that?!"

"Well, you're still breathing and no doubt gonna try to kill me in the near future, right?"

Geiz didn't refute his words, but neither did he respond to them. He just continued to glare at Alter Ego hatefully while the white-haired Servant took it in stride, smiling all the while. Was it just his imagination, or did he look nostalgic at the thought that Geiz wanted to kill him? After an intense moment, Geiz turned away and walked out of the building, steaming. Hakuno frowned in concern and looked at Tsukuyomi. "Will he be alright?"

"I think he's just trying to process all of this." Tsukuyomi answered. She then looked at Alter Ego curiously. "Tokiwa-san... You said something about a Class?"

"Ah, that. Would you mind filling her in on that, Master?"

The brown-haired girl looked at her Servant, unsure whether or not she should be angry at him for throwing her under the bus. For his part, though, he did look guilty and turned away sheepishly. She then turned back to Tsukuyomi and explained to her about who she was: a magus with little to no skills who had entered into a contract with a Servant - an individual who had achieved something incredible that it earned them a place within the Throne of Heroes. Of course, she withheld any and all information about the Moon Cell and the Holy Grail War, as that was a can of worms she didn't want to open anytime soon.

"Eh?! Hakuno-chan, you're a magician?!" Sougo exclaimed with wide-eyes.

Hakuno shook her head. "No. Magicians are people who achieved True Magic. Feats that cannot be replicated and considered miracles. Magus are people who practice magecraft, which can be replicated by modern means."

"Think about it like this." Alter Ego chimed in. "Magus can create explosions by using something as mundane as a gem by charging it up with elemental power, but the average guy can make explosions with a stick of dynamite."

Tsukuyomi hummed. "I see. This is...incredible, though. This means that you can summon heroes of the past."

"Wait, does that mean you can summon Oda Nobunaga?!" Sougo exclaimed excitedly, no doubt thinking about meeting past kings like Arthur Pendragon or Alexander the Great. "Or-or Darius III?! Ooh, wait! What about Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome?!"

"Whoa, hey now. Calm down." Alter Ego laughed at Sougo's enthusiasm. "Yes, she can summon any of those. But there's only so much power she can supply."

Hakuno frowned.

Even with the Regalia, she could barely last a few minutes by supplying her Servant with mana. She had to find a way to improve her reserves, or at least find some way to have him limit his consumption without risking losing too much of his power. Granted, she could have him take down any enemy pretty easily if she had him fight at full strength, but she didn't know anything about this man. Yes, he was Sougo Tokiwa, but he was a "possibility." As far as Hakuno was concerned, he was different from Sougo altogether and someone she had to handle with the utmost care.

The alternative was to summon another Servant, but she wasn't sure. What if the Servant turned out to be as strong as Alter Ego? Could she still provide enough mana?

"At any rate, I think it's about time you guys went back home." Alter Ego suggested. "I mean, unless you want to run into the old man at this point."

Tsukuyomi paled by the idea and shook her head rapidly. Hakuno nodded in agreement. She didn't know much about Oma Zi-O, but he was definitely not a man she wanted to encounter just yet. Sougo followed after Tsukuyomi, with Hakuno falling suit.

* * *

As soon as his Master vanished from sight, Alter Ego felt his surroundings change. The world distorted and bent, time and space bending to the will of another. His surroundings had changed and revealed him to be standing in a large room, vacant save for the man who sat atop the Chrysanthemum Throne. Alter Ego turned to face the man, whose wrinkled face was hidden beneath the bamboo screen.

"It's been a while, old man." Alter Ego greeted Oma Zi-O neutrally, though his posture implied that he was ready for a fight at the drop of a hat.

The older Sougo Tokiwa chuckled. "Fascinating... You chose to assume the mantle of kingship, but you tread a different path than I."

"You can thank Tsukuyomi and Geiz for that." Alter Ego replied. "Make no mistake, I am Oma Zi-O, but unlike you, I haven't forgotten what it means to be kind."

"Oh? You think I'm heartless, do you?" The way Oma Zi-O smiled, it seemed like he had just heard a funny joke. "Yes, humanity has been driven to some rather...dire conditions, but they are still alive. I only attack them when they become brazen enough and force my hand."

"Whereas I defended them when monsters and people with vile intent came knocking on my front door." Alter Ego countered. "They continue to live their lives in peace. Just as I swore I would do."

"How interesting. It is as if we are light and shadow. Two sides of the same coin. But, I wonder... How did you come about? Until now, I knew nothing about you. Your past did not exist. Was it perhaps that girl? This Hakuno Kishinami?"

"She's special, I'll grant you that. But unfortunately for you, she's off-limits." Alter Ego's eyes hardened. "Granted, I'm not as powerful as I was then, given the nature of this body...but I wager I can still give you a run for your money."

Oma Zi-O laughed heartily. "As interesting as a battle between kings sounds, I will pass. I am content watching things unfold." A pause. "...but I imagine _he_ will not sit by the sidelines for long. Not when his plans to usurp the Heisei Era may be in jeopardy. How will you deal with him, I wonder?"

"Who can say?" the white-haired youth shrugged before he turned on his heel and waved a hand. The same phenomenon that took him to this place began to return him to his Master's side. "I'll just sit by the sidelines and help when I'm needed."

"Will you steer our youthful self to your path?" Oma Zi-O inquired curiously.

At this, Alter Ego gave a bitter laugh. "You gone senile, old man? Whether I interfere with his future or not, he _will_ become Oma Zi-O. It's our fate. The moment we were born, we were destined to become the King of Time. Not even Swartz could challenge that. Of course, whether or not he'll become a demon is entirely up to him."

His thoughts flashed back to his own friends. The ones who died to make his dream a reality. The people he couldn't save.

_But, so long as they're at his side...maybe things will go right this time._

He'd make damn sure of that.

He really did have to thank Hakuno Kishinami when he got the chance. After all, she gave him a chance to make his wish come true.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: A bit on the small-side, but that's because I wanted to give everyone something to enjoy while I work on the finale of Fate/VRAINS. Yes, indeed. We're finally reaching the conclusion of my very first story. You have NO idea how excited I am by that prospect.

I could have made the fight longer, but realistically speaking, Alter Ego could have crushed Another Build Genius/Archimedes easily if he went all-out. That doesn't mean Another Build Genius is actually gone.

After all, Sougo still needs to get the Build Ridewatch.

Naturally, however, a Servant as powerful as this one is gonna burn through mana like crazy. This doesn't mean Alter Ego won't be participating in fights, oh no. He'll help out, but for the most part, he's content with just making sure everyone stays alive. He'll intervene if things go south, but other than that, he'll be watching our Riders' progress.

This brings us to the big topic. Since Alter Ego eats up mana like nobody's business, Hakuno will summon a more manageable Servant. Now, normally, I wouldn't tell you who it is because I usually want to keep it secret, but I feel like I should just tell you, if only just to see the reaction. Also, I should mention that I already have the third Servant planned out, and it is another Kamen Rider.

Side note, Boyzilla has tweaked the rules regarding spin-offs of the Digital Human series, so instead of three Hakuno can now have four Servants. I have not decided on who the fourth Servant should be, as I'm still considering who would best suit her.

As for the identity of the second Servant... I have but one thing to say to you all:

IWAE!

* * *

**REVIEWS**:

Lance Eterna: Alter Ego is an alternate version of Sougo following the events of the TV Series, where he chose to keep the powers of Oma Zi-O and rule as a benevolent king.

Guest (Saru): As tempted as I am to reveal Alter Ego's stats, recent reception to me revealing details like this in other stories like Sovereign usually gave me some mixed receptions. I won't tell everyone exactly what AE's stats are, but what I can tell you is that he can go toe-to-toe with powerful Servants like Karna and Gilgamesh and walk out the victor, though not without some serious effort.

oriongamer: Oh, he will. But he may also try to target Hakuno, as like with Sougo in his youth it is possible to remove the threat of another Oma Zi-O by taking out his summoner. Assuming he can get that far. Place your bets, pacify by Head Tilt or Hakuno fans kicking the shit out of him?

realEWF: If there were other Servant versions of Sougo, his "ideal" Demon King self would be Alter Ego, the original Oma Zi-O would be a Class of his own and Zi-O Oma Form would be Ruler, as while he isn't a Saint, Sougo has achieved his dream and therefore lacks a wish, and he will do what he must to protect people.

jmcdavid: Technically, Oma Zi-O is still the same as "Ohma Zi-O." Honestly, I found so many different translations of the belt's transformation jingle that I don't know which is which one is better.

HackerEX: That is an understatement of epic proportions.

TheOkWriter: Alternate timelines are a common staple in pretty much everywhere. Granted, we don't see those timelines because they aren't fully explored and just mentioned or we get a tiny glimpse, but the Moon Cell observes and records every possible alternate timeline. Hence why Alter Ego is a "possibility" of who Sougo could become.

Missingmoney: That will be averted, I can tell you that much. Of course, they'll be needed to get softened up a bit before Sougo and crew can take them down. It won't always be Alter Ego who does the heavy lifting on that front, though. I don't want to make him the solution to EVERY problem that Hakuno and friends run into.

sleipnir34: Alternate timelines do exist. All Sougo did in the TV series was start a reset on his timeline and undo all the damages Swartz had done. In response to your second review, yes. I will also include the Secondary Ridewatches, and possibly others. After all, it isn't just the Primary Riders who are getting Another Rider counterparts.

sakemaker: Nice ideas, but please keep them contained in your own story. Of course, you are free to do a "crossover" event where your story and mine intersect somehow. Just please be sure to ask Boyzilla for permission first. While this is my story, it is a spin-off of his Digital Human series.

Redbull98: It'll definitely be a learning experience for her. I imagine she'd also be interested in learning about Kamen Rider's branch of magic from Haruto, even if she can't actually use it.

Guest (GuestStar): Alter Ego views Oma Zi-O as a reflection. If he's the good, the old man is the bad. Of course, neither side will be willing to confront the other unless given a reason to do so. As for the relationship between the two Sougos, it will be like that in some capacity. AE is proof that Sougo's idea of being a benevolent Demon King is possible, and AE does have an influence in Sougo's increased growth as you'll learn later down the line.

BloodRaven: Worry not, he will have the chance to Iwae soon. And eventually, yes. But I'm saving that for when Kamen Rider Tsukuyomi debuts.

Isame Kuroda: Kamen Rider Tsukuyomi will make her debut, much earlier in fact. As for when, I'm saving that for the actual reveal.


	7. TIME07

**DISCLAIMER**: I do not own Kamen Rider Zi-O or Fate/Extra. Both are properties of Toei and Nasu respectively. This story is a work of fiction. Any relations to characters, living and dead, are purely coincidental.

* * *

_"Build."_

_In the dictionary, the word refers to the process of constructing and creating parts and materials within a period of time._

_In one world, where Japan had been divided by a series of walls, there was a man who weaponized this concept by merging the powers of items bearing the properties of organic and inorganic items._

_A hero who fought for justice, even if he himself was a "fake" hero._

_The name of that hero is Sento Kiryu._

_Kamen Rider Build._

_Now then…_

_Shall we start the experiment?_

* * *

**DIGITAL QUARTZER**

* * *

TIME07: Present and Future are a Best Match! (Part 1)

* * *

Hakuno's vision distorted as the world around her seemed to pull in on itself.

"W-what the?" Sougo cried. "What's happening?!"

It was as though the world became a kaleidoscope; a myriad of colors that never stayed the same for more than a second. However, the phenomenon did not last long nor did the wonders last as the four were suddenly assaulted by a nauseous sense of vertigo. The brunette felt as though her stomach was doing flips. The colors were growing brighter before she and others were swallowed by the lights.

She shut her eyes, blocking the assault of colors before she opened them again as her mind calmed. She blinked and saw that her surroundings were no longer that of a dilapidated warzone. Instead, she was standing in the middle of an empty street. The writing on the signs suggested she was still in Japan, but the buildings were unfamiliar to her.

"Urgh, my head…" Tsukuyomi moaned. "What happened? Where are we?"

"I don't know…" Sougo grimaced. "But my head is spinning… Ugh, make it stooooop."

Hakuno shook her head. She swore sirens were going off inside her ears. Her head was throbbing painfully.

_What just happened? Did we…make it back to our own time somehow?_

She heard footsteps behind her. She turned and saw Alter Ego approach, seemingly unaffected by the phenomenon. "Wow. You guys look like crap." Geiz flipped him the bird and glared, only to gulp and try to steady himself as he nearly fell over. "Then again, you guys did experience what happens when you attempt time travel outside of a Time Mazin. I remember the first time I did it. My god did it suck."

"Was this…" Geiz glared at Alter Ego with all the hate he could muster. "…your doing, Ohma Zi-O?"

"Well, not like your Time Mazin was in any shape to do it for you. And before you start freaking out, Tsukuyomi, I already brought yours back." He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder, pointing to the mechs that were piled atop one another rather haphazardly in the middle of the street. "You might want to consider getting those fixed if you plan on any time-jumping adventures."

Tsukuyomi gulped, forcing the contents of her stomach down. "Duly noted… Also, I hate you so damned much right now."

Alter Ego at least had the decency to look guilty.

"…huh. Well, can't say that this is the weirdest thing I've seen my whole life." The group of teenagers blinked as they turned their heads to the side. Standing in front of a café store was a man with slicked-back black hair wearing a pair of glasses with a white fedora, brown coat and a dark pink button-up shirt with tanned-colored pants. "Out of curiosity, do I even wanna know why there are two giant mecha out on the street?"

"Um… It's a long story?" Sougo offered weakly.

The man chuckled. "I imagine. You kids doing alright there?"

"Hurp!" Hakuno's face went a little grin as she held her hands over her mouth, struggling to keep the vile acids inside her throat from spilling out of her mouth. She wanted to throw up so bad because of the rancid taste invading her mouth. "We'll get back to you on that."

"Why don't you all come inside? I think I can whip you all up something to help your stomachs settle."

* * *

It came as a great relief to Hakuno that the overwhelming vertigo and somersaults in her stomach faded once the group settled down inside the café, warm cups of coffee and platters sitting in front of them. She had never experienced anything quite like this back in the Moon Cell, and as disgusting as it was, it was certainly a learning experience.

The café owner, Shoichi Isurugi, seemed like a kind man that, oddly enough, wasn't bothered by the presence of the Time Mazines. In fact, he looked nonplussed about the whole thing. It was strange and curious, making her wonder why he had such a bland reaction to them.

She glanced over at the table behind her. Alter Ego was sitting by himself, enjoying his coffee. On the other side was Geiz and Tsukuyomi, the former keeping his eyes locked on to the Servant. Tsukuyomi looked exasperated, but seemed no less wary of Alter Ego.

Sougo, on the other hand, looked as though he wanted to walk over to where his alternate self was sitting. Given that Alter Ego had succeeded in achieving his lifelong dream, proof that Sougo's desires of becoming a king were within reach, she believed he would want to learn about his experiences. But on the other hand, given what he now knew about Ohma Zi-O, it made sense why he was hesitant about speaking with him.

She hoped he would recover from this soon. Odd as it was to say, she didn't like seeing Sougo so depressed.

"You look like you're deep in thought, little lady." Isurugi's comment brought her out from her musings; the owner was smiling wistfully as he cleaned a mug with a washcloth that had seen better days. "So, what brings you kids out to this part of town?"

"We got lost."

It wasn't as though she could tell him that they ended up in the future and battled some monstrous warrior called Kamen Rider Build. Actually, she still needed to talk about the existence of these "Kamen Riders" with Tsukuyomi. She still did not know much about them nor what they were capable of, but if Alter Ego's abilities were of any indication, she could only imagine what they were like if he was proclaimed to be their "king."

Isurugi raised a brow at that. "Lost, eh?" He looked at her uniform, then at Tsukuyomi and Geiz, and finally at Alter Ego. He turned back to her. "Well, it ain't none of my business what you kids are up to. How's your stomach settling, by the way?"

"It is better know. Thank you very much for the coffee and food."

The owner grinned. "Don't mention it, little miss. Truth be told, I was wondering whether or not the ol' stomach ache expresso would work. Haven't used it in a while." He glanced at the clock sitting against the wall behind him. "Speaking of expresso, they should be here any second."

"They?"

"My regulars. A rowdy bunch, those two, but they're good folks."

Hakuno did not press any further and went back to enjoying her coffee before she paused. She blinked and stared as a girl stared back at her curiously, her head popping out from behind the fridge door.

"…Isurugi-san?"

"Yes, Kishinami-chan?"

"There's a girl inside your fridge."

He turned and saw the girl before a wide smile formed on his face. "Oh, Misora! Finally awake?"

"Mm," the girl, Misora, nodded. "Just now. Who're they?"

"Some out-of-towners that showed up on my doorstep. Sento and Banjou should be here any second now, so you should probably get dressed." Misora nodded and ducked back into the fridge, closing the door shut behind her. Isurugi noticed Hakuno staring at him oddly. "Hm? What's the matter?"

"…why is there a girl living in your fridge?" She knew the year 2018 was odd, but people living inside of a fridge? That was a new one, even for her!

Isurugi laughed. "Oh, she doesn't live in the fridge! Actually, it's a secret base of sorts. I got a bunker underneath the shop. There's a staircase inside the fridge."

Hakuno blinked again. "Why do you have an underground bunker?"

"Hey, you never know when an alien that can summon friggin' black holes will pop up out of nowhere."

…that seemed oddly specific.

The doorbell chimed as the door opened. "Sorry we're late!" the newcomer announced. "The gorilla decided it would be best to try and pick a fight with some thug."

"Oi! Don't try to pin all the blame on me!" another voice snapped angrily. "You weren't much better!"

"At least I handled the situation with some tact."

"Go to hell, Sento!"

"Love you too, Banjou."

Hakuno stared at the two newcomers, one wearing a blue shirt with a black-and-white striped hood with a brown trench coat and jeans and wearing different colored shoes – one blue and one red. Next to him was a man with brown hair wearing a black shirt with a blue jersey over it, the front of his jeans covered in tears and wearing muddy sneakers.

Isurugi chuckled when he saw the two bickering. "You two never do change, do you?" he asked with a hint of familiarity.

Behind Hakuno, Alter Ego looked up and saw the two, recognition flashing in his eyes. He grinned knowingly while taking a sip from his coffee cup. On the other side of the room, Geiz and Tsukuyomi saw the two and gaped.

"Same as usual, then?"

"House blend, Boss!" Sento nodded as he took a seat at the counter. Banjou grumbled and plopped down next to him, glaring at his companion in annoyance. Noticing this, Sento sighed. "Oh, come on. You and I both know that you would have slugged the poor bastard and clocked him out for a week."

"Would have been a lot better than just giving him a talking to. What, were you trying the Talk no Jutsu or something?"

"The what-now? Wait, hold on. Have you been reading manga again?" Banjou looked away. This time it was Sento's turn to glare. "You do realize that we don't make nearly enough money to support that kind of spending, right? Actually, I've been meaning to ask this for a while now, but why is manga so damned expensive these days anyhow?"

"Beats me. Why not ask the guys who sell them?" Banjou shrugged.

Isurugi stepped in front of the two, setting down two steaming cups of coffee on the counter. "You two still have money problems?" he asked. "You do realize that my offer from before is still up, right? I do remember offering you two room and board a long time ago. I don't mind doing it again, so long as you don't piss off Misora."

"We're fine, Boss." Sento told him with a wide smile. "Besides, you already did enough for us. And we aren't _that_ strapped for cash. Just watch! In a few days, we'll have an apartment of our own."

Banjou scoffed. "Yeah, so long as our customers don't come back screaming their heads off about how your inventions blew up in their faces."

"One time! It was one time!"

_They get along very well_, Hakuno thought.

"You two get along pretty well." Sougo said, echoing her thoughts.

Sento laughed. "I've known this guy for a long time, believe it or not. More than I'd care to admit, but I consider him a friend."

"Even if we grate on each other's nerves," Banjou snorted, albeit smiling himself. "So, you guys new regulars or something?"

"Oh no, they showed up in front of my shop out of the blue." Isurugi chimed in. "Came with those huge robots out on the streets." Sento stilled. Next to him, Banjou performed a picture-perfect spit take, causing Isurugi to whine. "Oh, come on! I just cleaned the counter, Banjou!"

Sento slowly turned towards Sougo, eyes alight with mania. "Excuse me, but are those machines out there really yours?"

Hakuno watched as Geiz and Tsukuyomi looked at one another, panic clear on their faces while they made animated gestures at Sougo telling him to deny it or make up an excuse. The future king of time failed to see the gestures and shifted nervously on the spot.

"They aren't really mine, actually." Sougo told him before pointing at the time-traveling duo, both of whom shooting looks of anger and betrayal respectively. "They belong to them."

"Is that so?"

Sento grinned as he removed himself from his seat, making his way towards the panicking time travelers…

_A familiar sensation. The feeling of corruption and death approaching her, knowledge corrupted and amok with madness._

…only for the sound of an explosion to erupt in the air, followed by the horrid quaking of the ground that threw the brown-haired girl off her stool and to the ground. Sougo followed after her, landing on his back. Tsukuyomi and Geiz managed to keep themselves on their chairs by clinging to the table. Isurugi stumbled and clung to the counter to steady himself, as did Banjou. Sento swayed and fought back against the motions while Alter Ego casually drank from his coffee cup, nonplussed about the event.

The shaking subsided seconds later.

"What the hell was that?!" Banjou roared up to his feet.

Sento's earlier enthusiasm and curiosity was gone. His face changed suddenly.

_Determination and an iron-clad will that would not yield; an expression she had seen on an old soldier's face when the time came for both she and him to kill one another._

"Come on!"

The two bolted right out of the shop at full speed, barreling through the door. Geiz and Tsukuyomi looked at each other before nodding and quickly followed after them.

"W-wait, what's happening?" Sougo asked as he pulled himself back up to his feet and helped Hakuno off the floor. "What's going on? A-and what was that just now?!"

Alter Ego narrowed his eyes. "It's that Another Build from before," he said. Hakuno and Sougo stared at him in shock. Behind them, Isurugi choked and let out a strangled 'what?!' "That bastard's still active somehow."

"Even after you blew him to kingdom come?!" Sougo cried incredulously.

Hakuno's mind raced for possibilities and answers. She did not have enough information about their enemy, only that its body was corrupted by something horrible and that a Servant was incorporated into its body. Was it possible the Servant's ability allowed it to survive, even against the power Alter Ego demonstrated? If so, then who…?

Alter Ego downed the last of his coffee and stood up from his seat. "Come on, let's go. Master, you should stay here." Hakuno stared. "It'd be pretty dangerous if you got caught up in all this. That thing's after you and the Regalia."

As much as she wished to protest, Hakuno knew he had a point. Even with her Code Casts, she could offer little support. Even so, she did not like the idea of sitting on the sidelines. She always stood by Caster's side during those troubling times. She couldn't just-

_Wait, Caster? That wasn't right. Her Servant was Archer… No, it was a Saber._

Hakuno grimaced as images of people she did not know flashed in her head. A dark-skinned man wielding twin blades and a woman with two fox tails in a kimono, people who looked familiar to her but could not recall properly. Their faces were blurred, but the rest of their features were distinct and called them by class names.

"H-hey, Hakuno-chan, are you okay?" Sougo asked worriedly.

Alter Ego turned on his heel. "Look after her while I'm gone. I'll make sure they don't get back up."

"W-wait, I'll come too!"

Ohma Zi-O turned to face Sougo. "No offense, but what can you do as you are right now? Even if you could transform like Geiz, would you really be willing to risk it?" There was an unspoken message conveyed in his eyes.

"_Are you willing to risk becoming Ohma Zi-O?"_

Sougo looked away, eyes cloudy with hesitation.

"W-whoa, hang on a second. What's going on?" Isurugi asked, completely clueless about what was going on. Alter Ego didn't answer and walked out of the shop.

Hakuno looked down at the ground, biting her lower lip.

_What was she supposed to do…?_

* * *

Sento skidded to a stop when he reached the source of the commotion. People rushed past him, fearing for their lives and desperate to escape the monster that appeared and began to attack them indiscriminately.

Upon seeing it, Banjou gaped. "What in the hell is that?! Oi, Sento! Why does it look like-?!"

"I know, Banjou." Sento snapped. "But ask questions later!"

The two glanced at each other before nodding and taking out black belts with a crank on the right side. Slapping the belts onto their waist, they then produced two different items. In Sento's hands were a pair of bottles; one colored red and the other colored blue. Banjou held a blue bottle with a dragon's head printed on the front, as well as a mechanical dragon shaped like a box in the other.

"Now then," Sento began. "Shall we start the experiment?"

He began shaking the bottles vigorously. Banjou did the same before he slammed it into the dragon's body.

[**KAKUSEI**!]

The two proceeded to slam their respective items into the belt's open slots. The belts sang.

[**RABBIT**! **TANK**! _**BEST MATCH**_!]

[**GREAT CROSS-Z DRAGON**!]

As the two prepared to transform, Geiz and Tsukuyomi arrived as well. "What the-?! It's still alive?!" Tsukuyomi gasped.

Standing amid a ruined section of the street was none other than Another Build, only it looked as though it had been put through the wringer. The black blotches on its body had spread further, almost consuming it entirely. The left side of its faceplate was cracked and broken, revealing a blue eye with a tank's turret underneath it.

"Stubborn bastard…" Geiz growled as he took out his own belt and device.

Tsukuyomi stared at her companion. "Geiz, are you crazy?! Remember the last time you tried to go up against that thing?!"

"So what?! We can't exactly let it roam free!" he shot back. As dedicated as he was to ending the threat of Ohma Zi-O, he couldn't just sit around and ignore the sight of someone in trouble. He would never forgive himself if he allowed his mission to overcome his morals.

He pressed the button atop his Ridewatch before proceeding to slip it into the left-hand slot on his Driver.

[**GEIZ**!]

Alongside Sento and Banjou, who began to spin the cranks on their belts, tubes forming in front of and behind them, blue and red liquid flowing through them, Geiz rammed his fist atop the Driver before grabbing both sides.

[**ARE YOU READY**?!]

"Henshin!"

All together, the three Kamen Riders roared as their transformations began. The tubes around Sento and Banjou formed into pieces of armor that slammed over their bodies while Geiz's armor flew over to him and snapped into place. Steam blew off the first two, armor now in plain view; one wearing a black bodysuit with red-and-blue asymmetrical armor with oddly-shaped eyes while the other had dark blue armor with red shoulders and helm with fiery-shaped blue eyes.

[**WAKE UP, CROSS-Z**! **GET GREAT DRAGON**! **YEAH**!]

[**THE FULLMETAL MOONSAULT**! **RABBITTANK**! **YEAHHH**!]

[**RIDER TIME**! **KAMEN RI~DER GEIZ**!]

Upon noticing the three readying for battle, Another Build Genius let out a warped war cry and released a wave of power meant to intimidate them. Instead, all it accomplished was the three even more determined to defeat the enemy in front of them.

"I really wanna ask about your belt, but that can wait until this is over!" Build said to Geiz.

As one, they all charged. Tsukuyomi watched on nervously, hoping her friend would be alright. Not far away was Alter Ego, watching the battle unfold with narrowed eyes.

'_The marks got bigger… Could it be…?'_

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: (glances at Updated)

…sweet baby jeebus I am late. I am so sorry. The late update was a mix of lethargy and not really in the mood of continuing, but I really don't want to be one of those authors that just lets a story collect dust and leave it abandoned.

A very short chapter, I know, but this is going to be a two-parter. Next chapter will feature Sougo's full debut as Kamen Rider Zi-O, and the obligatory IWAE!

In other news, Chapter 7 of Digital Drifter is also in the works. Once that is also updated, I plan on publishing another Digital Human spin-off, though this one is more comedy oriented. If you look at my profile, you'll know what I mean. That said, that will be the last story I publish until I complete another one of my fanfics.

I want to at least get both Digital Human spin-offs updated before I post it. Ashen Wolves will come after that, and if I can manage it, another chapter of Edge of Dawn.

Quick update about the Digital Human rules set by Boyzilla for spin-offs. Hakuno is now allowed four Servants, but I am keeping the number at three. Namely because, well, I can only really think of three Servants that would fit with this story, especially for what I have planned. If I do include a fourth Servant, it'll probably be a late-game kind of change.

I have also been considering posting this story on the SpaceBattle Forums as well. Thoughts?

* * *

**REVIEWS**:

Lance Eterna: Most times he'll fight to weaken the Another Rider to give the Kamen Riders a fighting chance, but there will be times when he gets to flex his muscles. And yeah, if things keep going the way they are, Barlx will have to get involved at some point.

HackerEX: A Woz is a Woz.

PanickingNoob94: Yep, as well as Secondary and possibly Tertiary Another Riders if I can manage it. Geiz has to get that GeizMajesty Ridewatch somehow, no?

Revamped Persona: Same response as HackerEX. A Woz is a Woz.

BlazingFireAngelXXX: He'll certainly damn-well try.

jmcdavid: It'd be worse if Red Woz was involved. Still can't believe that Red Woz is actually a thing…

Redbull98: Woz will certainly be shocked to see Alter Ego, but serve as his hype man nonetheless. That said, he will feel very conflicted about which Sougo he should serve. There's only one of him. Technically two (or three) but one is dedicated solely to Geiz. And the only Another Riders infused with Velber and fused with Servants are the ones Tid makes. The rest are completely normal.

Guest (GuestStar): It would be possible, but chances are Alter Ego wouldn't let Sougo or crew visit it. He'd tell Sougo about it and maybe cherish the friends he has, but otherwise, that's about it.


End file.
